Rivalry
by WriteFilmEdit
Summary: A story about Quidditch, House rivalries, prejudice and romance. Slytherin has won the Quidditch Cup nine years consecutively. Gryffindor Head Girl, Seeker, and Quidditch Captain Tyriana Gallagher aims to end their streak, but will the enigmatic Head Boy and Slytherin Seeker Julian Hawkins interfere with her plans? Mostly OC's with cameos from familiar Hogwarts staff.
1. Hawkins

**Chapter 1**

 **Hawkins**

 **September 1st, 2013**

Tyriana Gallagher marched her cart of luggage down platform nine of King's Cross station, walking with purpose. There was an excited spring in her step and her legs were moving fast but, as she was only five feet tall, her noticeably taller parents were easily able to keep pace with her.

Tyriana had a bearing of determination and fortitude. She appeared to be far more of a force to be reckoned with than her stature would suggest. She had an athletic build and moved confidently.

Her chestnut-brown hair hung just past shoulder-length. While it naturally took the form of a disheveled mess (she'd been told that she actually looked quite good that way), today she'd tamed her mane into gentle, flowing waves. She had several notable facial features, the first and foremost being her bright eyes. Her glacier blue irises were unusually large and tended to shimmer whenever light fell upon them. It was rare for her to go a single day without receiving compliments on how mesmerizing her eyes were. She also had a strong and rather square jawline that gave her the look of someone not to be crossed, although her chin was a bit softer. She did have a tendency to tilt her head up a bit to assertively bare her jaw during arguments, but this could also be attributed to the fact that everybody she argued with was noticeably taller than her.

Her cheekbones were pleasant and she got dimples when she smiled. Her lips — particularly the lower one — were naturally full and plump. Today she was sporting a determined expression, and this was hardly unusual for her. Sometimes her face seemed to be permanently molded that way.

"I'm sure you'll do great," her mother said as they walked down platform nine. "Just relax."

"I am relaxed, Mum," she said.

"I highly doubt that," her mother mumbled under her breath.

They reached the entrance to platform nine and three-quarters and, looking both ways, casually slipped through the intangible wall. The familiar sight of the Hogwarts Express greeted them on the other side, its striking red color looking as vibrant as ever. Smoke billowed from the engine.

Tyriana led her parents towards the train, weaving her way through the throngs of other students and their parents.

"You said something about a special carriage?" her father asked.

"Yes. The Prefect's Carriage is at the front of the train, right behind the engine. Here it is." Her father knew the drill by now, after seven years, and when she parked the cart he lifted her trunk up into the carriage. It was an easy task for him; her parents were the proud owners of a gym and the whole family was in excellent shape. Tyriana hugged them and boarded the train with one last wave.

She'd arrived pretty early; the carriage was virtually empty. As the freshly appointed Head Girl, she had thought it prudent to be punctual. Wheeling her trunk behind her, she groaned when she saw that, as with other carriages on the train, the luggage was to be stored on overhead racks. Looking up at the daunting height of them, she realized that she should have kept her father around for at least a couple more minutes.

Tyriana wasn't one to shrink from a challenge, though, so she hefted her trunk as high as she could. The weight wasn't much of a problem but her diminutive height certainly was. Even on her tippy-toes, the rack was just out of reach.

A large hand entered her field of vision, grasping her trunk and lifting it the rest of the way.

"Thanks," she said, lowering her arms and turning to see who had assisted her. It was a sixth or seventh year boy boy with a pleasantly muscular build and a charming face, although he seemed a little too put together; a little too confident in his attractiveness. _Probably a total narcissist who expects his jawline and cheekbones will get him anything he wants_ , she thought.

"Any time," he said. "In fact, let me know if you need help getting it back down when we get to Hogwarts."

That was a move she hadn't expected. "Thanks," she repeated.

"What's your name?"

"Tyriana Gallagher," she said, seeing no harm in telling him.

"I know you from somewhere," he said, his forehead furrowing. "You're the Gryffindor Seeker, aren't you?"

Tyriana nodded. "I'm also the Captain. What's your name?"

"Caden. Caden Weiss. I'm in Hufflepuff."

"Pleased to meet you, Caden. I take it you're a prefect?"

He nodded. "You too?"

"Nope. I'm your new boss. Head Girl."

He took a step back, looking impressed. "Head Girl _and_ Quidditch Captain?"

She nodded.

"Good luck balancing all of that, Tyriana."

"Thanks," she said for the third time. Spotting Professor Slughorn around Caden, she excused herself from the conversation and presented herself smartly to the Deputy Headmaster.

"Ah, Tyriana, you're early," said the equally elderly and corpulent wizard. Fishing around in a bag he was carrying, he said, "I have something here for you: your Head Girl badge." He handed it to her after a moment of searching.

"Thank you, Professor," she said. "I'm honored."

"I suggest you put on your robes and pin it on right away."

"I will, Professor." Tyriana retreated over to her trunk, feeling Caden's gaze follow her. She pulled out her neatly-folded robes, put them on over her blouse and jeans, then pinned her badge proudly on her chest. She'd hardly finished when she heard Slughorn's voice speaking to someone.

"...say how proud I am of your achievement. Being Head Boy is a big deal."

Wondering who the Head Boy was, Tyriana turned to look. Her jaw dropped.

It was Julian Hawkins, the Slytherin Seeker.

Tyriana's heart sunk. Her greatest fear had been that the Head Boy would be a Slytherin. As a Gryffindor, she didn't perceive getting along with a Slytherin to be anywhere within the realm of possibility. _Why can't he be a bloody Ravenclaw or even a Hufflepuff_? _This might just ruin my year_ , she thought.

Tyriana watched, horrified, as he accepted his badge from Slughorn, pinned it onto his robes, and shook the Deputy Headmaster's hand. Hawkins turned and made eye contact with her. Somehow, his gaze seemed to pierce her soul and the look of cunning intelligence gleaming in his eyes gave her the sense that he could somehow read her mind. Seeing her mostly identical badge, he made his way over.

Hawkins held out his hand. "It's been a long time, Tyriana. I think we last met on the Quidditch field, yes?"

She did her best to look smug as she reluctantly shook his hand, the skin of her palm crawling with revulsion in his grasp. "As I recall, I caught the Snitch."

"But Slytherin won the game and the Quidditch Cup." He smirked as she grimaced. _Arrogant Slytherin asshole_ , she thought. Clearly he knew, as many of her peers did, that Quidditch meant everything to her. She took the sport even more seriously than her academics, which was saying a lot.

"This year's going to be different." She gave him her most intimidating glare. This was usually particularly formidable, especially considering her stature.

"That's right," he said, unaffected. His acceptance of her statement threw her off until he added, "This is going to be the tenth year in a row that Slytherin has won. That's a momentous occasion, I think." He finally released her hand, and she hastily withdrew it and wiped it discreetly on the inside of her robes. He must've noticed, because his next words were, "You know, Tyriana, I'm not actually a slimy snake. Just like you're not a lion. If you were, I might add, you'd be the smallest adult lion anybody's ever seen."

She snarled. "You know, Seekers are supposed to have excellent vision and situational awareness. I can't help but wonder how you became one seeing as how you still haven't realized that you're blocking the aisle."

He looked around and saw that she was correct. There was a line of prefects behind him, some hiding their frustration better than others as they held their heavy luggage and waited for him to move. "Until next time, then Gallagher." He gave her a mocking salute and moved to stow his trunk at the opposite end of the carriage.

She kept an eye on him, her blood boiling, as he hoisted his trunk up onto the rack without any assistance, although he did have to stretch a bit to do so. Like many Seekers, Hawkins was pretty small. She estimated that he was about five-foot-eight, although that was still enough to make him a giant compared to her.

She'd already made the decision to solely refer to him as Hawkins, since the Quidditch commentators always used his last name and he was her enemy. Their rivalry on the Quidditch pitch had just grown to encompass so much more than who caught the Snitch first, but she'd keep thinking of him in the same way she always had. Furthermore, if she thought of him as Julian it became significantly more difficult to ignore that he was decently attractive. Her friends would have said that his brown hair was to die for and his face certainly had a pleasant and masculine shape to it, although she thought he seemed to be perpetually wearing an arrogant smirk. As she had previously observed, his steel blue eyes seemed capable of piercing her soul and extracting even her innermost thoughts.

Tyriana knew that she couldn't be on a first-name basis with Hawkins; he had to be nothing more than an acquaintance that she was being forced to associate with. He was an obstacle and nothing more. She'd always performed the best in the face of direct competition.

She recalled the previous year's Quidditch results and the frustration that had consumed her for weeks afterwards. Gryffindor's season total had been just ten points — one score with the Quaffle — shy of Slytherin's. _We were_ _so_ _close to beating the snake-loving bastards that who hadn't lost the Quidditch Cup in eight years. Now it is a nine year streak, and this year it could become ten if we don't stop them_ , she thought. _We are going to stop them_. It was a sentence that had been echoing through her head all summer break. She'd spent months studying, strategizing and practicing in preparation for her last, and hopefully best, season. She'd also invested the majority of her money in what she hoped would be a game changer: the brand new Firebolt Supreme. She'd been sure to get one of the first production models. She doubted anyone else at Hogwarts had one. Last she'd checked, Hawkins used a Nimbus 2010.

The carriage was rapidly filling up. She pulled up the sleeve of her robe and glanced at her watch. It was 10:57 AM. The Hogwarts Express would be leaving King's Cross in three minutes. Despite the recent revelation that Hawkins was the Head Boy, she couldn't stop a fresh wave of excitement from washing over her. It was her seventh and final time taking the train to Hogwarts. She spent a moment reminiscing on the many wondrous memories she'd had, from when Professor McGonagall had first shown up at her doorstep and stunned her Muggle parents with the news that their daughter was a witch to her most recent Quidditch match against Ravenclaw near the end of the preceding year where she'd caught the Snitch in almost record time. _If only I'd given the Chasers enough time to score one more goal we could've tied with Slytherin for the Quidditch Cup_ , she thought. Throwing the memory aside — she'd already relived that moment and felt the accompanying pang of guilt enough times over the summer months — she returned her attention to the present just in time to see Professor Slughorn approaching with Hawkins in tow.

"Miss Gallagher, I trust that you have familiarized yourself with your duties?"

"I have, Professor."

"Excellent. Once the train leaves the station I suggest that you and Hawkins begin immediately."

"Yes, Professor," they chorused.

The elderly wizard rubbed his hands together. "Excellent. I'm afraid I've got to get going. As this will be my last year at Hogwarts it seems fitting that I take the time to assemble the most distinguished Slug Club I've ever had. That may be difficult without the likes of Harry Potter," he chuckled. "I suppose I will have to settle for quantity over quality, eh?"

"This is your last year at Hogwarts, sir?" Hawkins asked.

"It is. I'm afraid my heart tells me it is time to retire, and for good this time."

"Good luck, then, Professor." Hawkins and Slughorn shook hands, and Tyriana was disconcerted by how respectful the Head Boy was being. _Why can't he behave like that with me_? _Of course, it's all probably just an act. Sucking up to the teachers. Probably the only way he has decent grades._

"I hope you have a wonderful year and an excellent retirement, sir," she said, also shaking Slughorn's hand.

"Thank you, you two. I'll be off, then."

Slughorn waddled out of the carriage, heading for the back of the train.

Hardly ten seconds after he'd left, the train lurched and began to leave the station. Tyriana and Hawkins exchanged glances.

"Let's wait to get started until they're ready to listen," Hawkins advised, nodding to the twenty-four prefects, most of whom had gathered by the windows to wave to their families. After the station had disappeared from sight, Hawkins moved to the front of the carriage and loudly announced, "Prefects, can I have your attention up here, please?"

Eager to please on their first day, the prefects obeyed.

"I'm Julian Hawkins of Slytherin and I'm the Head Boy."

Not wanting to allow Hawkins to be the one to introduce her, she stepped up next to him and announced, "I'm Tyriana Gallagher of Gryffindor and I'm the Head Girl."

Hawkins clapped his hands together. "I'm going to make this quick and efficient because we have a train to patrol. Raise your hands if you've been a prefect before."

A good number — a little over half, Tyriana estimated — raised their hands.

"Brilliant. I expect that you were briefed last year or the year before and already know your duties for today so I'm not going to hold you here." He pointed aft. "Time to start patrolling the train."

Tyriana watched, dumbfounded, as almost two-thirds of the Prefects filed out of the carriage. She had not expected such competent — perhaps even masterful — leadership out of a Slytherin. All of her experiences with that house were unpleasant and she had more than enough memories of being bullied by them. In fact, she recalled receiving several very hurtful comments regarding her "mudblood" ancestry from Hawkins himself in her second year.

Now nine prefects remained, and Tyriana recognized a few of them. Not wanting to be left out, she made a point of being the one to explain to them the responsibilities of a prefect both on the train and in the castle. She fully expected Hawkins to react bitterly to being upstaged but, to her surprise, he merely listened and nodded along as she hit each of the main points they'd both studied.

By the end of her speech, she'd forgotten that it was Hawkins standing next to her and she was horrified to find herself asking him politely if she'd missed anything.

"I think that sums it up," he said. "I suspect the troublemakers feel safe now that the first wave of prefects have swept through. It's time for you guys to prove that you're worthy of those shiny badges and catch them in the act."

Looking highly motivated, the new prefects set off and left Tyriana alone with Hawkins. She eyed him with a grudging respect. "That was impressive."

He shrugged. "Leadership is one of the qualities that Slytherin house values. Jealous?"

She pretended that his jab hadn't hit anywhere close to home. "Not in the slightest. I just appreciate a good leader when I see one."

Tyriana didn't realize that she'd complimented him until he said, "Thanks."

She berated herself for that lapse.

"You know what I find amusing?" he asked after a moment of silence.

Tyriana braced herself for the worst insult he could invent. "What?"

"You insisted on briefing them for a job that you've never done. I've been a prefect for the last two years. That should've been me."

"Well, congratulations, showoff. As I recall, you did nothing but nod as I hit the nail on the head."

His forehead furrowed as she said the last phrase. "What?"

"It's a Muggle expression. Of course you wouldn't be familiar with it. I meant that I did a great job."

"I said that you did a good job of _summing it up_. Reading and memorizing a few pages is never a substitute for experience," he countered.

"Maybe you should tell our professors that and they'd stop assigning meaningless homework."

He chuckled and changed the subject. "Are you excited for this year?"

"Of course. I absolutely love Hogwarts but I'm eager to see what the real world has to offer when I graduate. And then, of course, there's Quidditch. You should start preparing to lose now."

He chuckled but otherwise ignored her jab.

"What about you?" she asked.

He casually leaned back against the wall behind him, his eyes thoughtfully scanning the empty carriage before settling comfortably back on hers. "I feel just about the same way. Say, do you want to join me in the third wave?"

"What?"

"Well, I was thinking that we'd patrol the train, too. Leading by example, you know?"

"I would like to lead by example," she admitted, "But not with you."

To his credit, he managed to look genuinely hurt by that. "You're so hostile."

"Speak for yourself," she growled, heading aft on her own accord. He hurried after her.

As she made her way into the next carriage and began weaving her way through the crowded aisle between compartments, she heard him drawl from behind her, "Merlin's beard, Gallagher, you're so short you look like you're drowning in this crowd."

"Shut up, Hawkins."

"We'd be going twice as fast if you let me lead. You're terrible at clearing paths."

"I thought I said I didn't want you to come along?"

"I couldn't listen to that. Frankly, I'd be bored to death right now if pushing your buttons wasn't so bloody entertaining." She could picture the smirk on his face without even seeing it.

"I'm warning you, Hawkins…"

"What're you going to do?"

"You'd be surprised."

"Are you planning to jump on me like a little monkey?"

"You think that's funny now," she growled. "The thing about you purebloods is that you're so used to magic solving all your problems that you don't actually know how to use your fists."

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw him unconsciously put a bit more distance between them. She grinned, triumph coursing through her body.

"Calm down, Gallagher," he said. "Can you imagine how bad it would look if the Head Girl punched the Head Boy in the first ten minutes of duty?"

She shrugged. "It wouldn't look that bad if it was justified. Wishing you hadn't pushed my buttons now?"

"Not in the slightest."

She stopped suddenly, and Hawkins ran into her back.

"What did you stop for?"

She pointed at one of the compartments, where two fourth years, one male and one female, were yelling at each other. "I'll try to diffuse this. You keep going."

Hawkins nodded.

Tyriana slid the compartment door open. The two arguing students and two others (who'd scooted as far away as possible) looked up. "Hi," she said in the most friendly tone that she could muster. "I'm Tyriana Gallagher, the Head Girl. I heard some yelling. Can I help resolve the situation?"

As she quickly discovered, the two arguers were dating and had come into disagreement over how each other were allowed to interact with members of the opposite gender. The boy seemed to believe it was perfectly reasonable for him to request that his girlfriend stay away from other guys — even if she was friends with them — but it was ridiculous for her to counter by asking him to do the same. The girl believed that both of them should be fine with each other socializing with any member of the opposing gender, as long as the interaction wasn't romantic in nature.

Tyriana immediately sided with the girl, although she did her best to be a neutral arbiter. After ten minutes she managed to get both parties on the same page and left feeling satisfied with her handling of the conflict. _This isn't so difficult after all_.


	2. Hogwarts

**Chapter 2**

 **Hogwarts**

 **September 1st, 2013**

Tyriana resumed her patrol, and her thoughts turned to the predicament presented by Julian Hawkins. He certainly exhibited Slytherin qualities, but there had been brief moments where he had behaved entirely differently. She needed to figure out what made her enemy tick. If she managed that, she could gain the upper hand both in their arguments and on the Quidditch field.

Her musings were interrupted as a massive figure stepped directly in front of her, forcing her to stop. "Hey," said a husky voice.

She looked up, and up, until she finally met the gaze of the mountain of a boy who'd intercepted her. Truth be told, he was actually only six-foot-three or so, but just about anyone above six feet appeared gigantic from her perspective. The low ceiling of the carriage only made him look even larger.

"Hi," she said, unintimidated.

"Head Girl, huh?" He was staring at her badge.

"Yeah. Can I help you?"

"You can if you tell me your name."

"Tyriana Gallagher."

"Well, Tyriana, I just wanted to tell you that you have the prettiest eyes I've ever seen." He acted like this compliment was a unique and profound revelation.

Tyriana, however, had already heard similar compliments four times this morning and she was far more annoyed than impressed. She gave him a menacing glare, channelling all of her disdain into her eyes. "Still like them?"

He took a step back, raising his hands in mock self-defense. "Oddly, yes."

"The correct answer was 'no.' I've got stuff to do so, if you'll excuse me…"

He retreated back into his compartment under the onslaught of her glare.

Tyriana rolled her eyes in disgust as she resumed her journey aft. She hated people who judged her to be worthy of their time solely by her appearance. _I have other appealing qualities, too, you know_.

It was no secret to her that she was attractive, having been told so over the years by numerous individuals of both genders, but she wasn't very interested in hooking up with anyone she'd met so far at Hogwarts. Flings did not particularly interest her, although she'd made a point of trying a few times before she'd reached that conclusion. She knew that she was looking for a connection and commitment, and until she found the person who checked those boxes she was content to keep to herself.

 _Still, though_ , she thought. _This is my last year. It would be nice to enjoy it with a boyfriend, although it would have to be somebody that I could stomach_.

Her musings were interrupted when she spotted Julian Hawkins sauntering towards her. Her heart sunk instinctively upon seeing the green and silver accents on his robes. _That's someone I definitely can't stomach_.

He smirked when he saw her, which was immediately since he had a Seeker's astute eye. "Hey, Gallagher. You look thoroughly pissed off. Did somebody figure out how to push your buttons even better than me?"

She raised a warning finger. "If you so much as try to hit on me I will kick your ass."

"So hitting on you is the secret, huh?"

"I'm warning you…"

He swallowed. "For Merlin's sake, Gallagher, calm down. I wouldn't do that. So, uh, how's your patrol going?"

"Fine. I managed to resolve that argument."

"Congratulations, although I'm afraid you're going to need to step up your game. I already stopped one student from hexing another."

"Any competent wizard can use _Protego_. Maybe I should've let you try to resolve that argument. I'd like to see you try and stop two insecure lovers from screaming at each other. I bet you'd be _very_ successful."

His sharp eyes narrowed. Looking around, he said, "The train's pretty quiet this year, huh? No doubt that's due to our outstanding leadership of the prefects."

Tyriana knew the comment was sarcastic, but she couldn't help but think that it had been inspired by his arrogance. _Typical Slytherin bastard_ , she thought.

"Hold on a second," he said abruptly, looking past her. He stepped around her and even put a hand on her shoulder as he passed. She expected her skin to crawl, but it didn't. Turning, she saw him hurry down the corridor towards a student carrying something that he must've deemed suspicious. _Looks like something from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes_ , she thought. _That place is amazing_. _Too bad we have orders to confiscate all of their products on sight._

Anxious to escape and make more sense of the day's unexpected events, Tyriana continued her journey towards the back of the train. The rest of the journey was relatively uneventful. She confiscated a few magical items that weren't permitted, stopped two students from hexing each other, and chatted with a few of the Prefects that she recognized. Knowing that the foundation of effective leadership included trust and solid communication, she was determined to establish a rapport with her new subordinates as quickly as possible.

Tyriana managed to avoid Hawkins for the rest of the journey. After they had arrived at Hogsmeade Station, she performed a quick sweep of the train to make sure that all of the students had disembarked. When she stepped out onto the platform, having retrieved her luggage with _Accio_ so that she wouldn't have to jump to reach the rack, she started heading for the self-drawn carriages that ferried students from Hogsmeade Station to the castle. She was so late that there was only one left and she was the only occupant.

As she was carried through the forested night on the journey to the castle, she reminisced some more on her time at Hogwarts. When she finally arrived, she entered the Great Hall only seconds before Professor Slughorn led the new first years in. Tyriana blushed a bit as she headed for the Gryffindor table, knowing that the only qualities differentiating herself from the first years was the maturity of her face and her Head Girl badge. She wasn't much taller than them.

Tyriana sat down next to her best friends Delaney Townsend, Brielle Harrington, Siobhan Gibbs, and Alara Frye amongst the Gryffindors.

"Why didn't you stop by our compartment?" Brielle whispered.

"I was busy," Tyriana said, tapping her badge. "Sorry. It's great to see you, girls."

She quieted then because the Sorting was beginning. She watched Professor Slughorn place the Sorting Hat on a wooden stool. The entire school, including the first years — Tyriana could tell by their postures that most of them were terrified — stared at the hat. After a moment it burst into song.

Tyriana didn't get much chance to listen to the words because Delaney used the distraction to discreetly yet enthusiastically snog her boyfriend, Greyson Bauer.

"Delaney," she growled under her breath.

"But we haven't seen each other in three weeks," her friend pouted, reluctantly disengaging from her boyfriend just long enough to say this.

"Save it for later." Brielle seconded Tyriana's opinion, which was just as common of an occurrence as Delaney's innumerable snogging sessions with her boyfriend.

The hat finished its song and the whole school burst into applause. Professor Slughorn stepped forward to address the first years when the noise died down, holding a roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will sit on the stool and put on the hat. It will sort you into your house. You will then sit at the corresponding table."

Tyriana sat attentively through the Sorting, although her stomach was rumbling. She'd been on her feet all day and had never gotten the chance to get anything from the trolley on the train. She was a little upset that she'd missed one of her favorite Hogwarts traditions in her last year but she supposed that it was the nature of the job.

She was sure to cheer enthusiastically for every new Gryffindor, although she also clapped respectfully for the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. She couldn't bring herself to applaud the Slytherins. _Half of them already look like bullies_ , she observed. She glanced over at the Slytherin table and saw Hawkins standing and applauding for every new member of his house, although he didn't seem to be as enthusiastic or raucous as many of those who surrounded him. She filed the observation away for later reference.

The Sorting ended, and Tyriana's stomach loosed a disproportionately loud rumble of hunger. Her friends glanced at her.

"Calm down, girl," Siobhan giggled.

Professor McGonagall, the Headmistress, stood up. "On behalf of the staff, welcome to Hogwarts. We are glad that each and every one of you are here, whether it is your first year, your seventh, or somewhere in the middle. Let the feast begin!"

She sat down to rampant applause from the students and the golden plates on all of the tables were suddenly heaping with delicious food. Tyriana dug in.

She'd hardly had her first bite when her friends began to bombard her with questions.

"How was your summer?" Brielle asked. As the only Muggleborn in her closest circle of friends, Tyriana was generally the most isolated over the holidays. They hadn't heard much from her.

"How was the train ride?" Siobhan asked almost simultaneously. Tyriana had sat with her friends on the train every year until today. Naturally, her friends were curious what she'd been up to as Head Girl.

"Who's the Head Boy?" Alara asked an instant later.

"Julian Hawkins," she growled, nodding to the Slytherin table.

"Holy shit! A Slytherin?" Brielle exclaimed. "A slimy, creepy, evil bastard."

"At least he's attractive," Alara retorted. She only got away with saying that because her boyfriend was a Hufflepuff and wasn't privy to the conversation at the Gryffindor table. He wouldn't have been surprised to hear her say that, though. Alara was Delaney's twin in that they were both obsessively interested in the dating scene at Hogwarts.

"What does that matter?" Siobhan leapt into the fray. "He's Tyriana's worst enemy on the Quidditch field, which essentially means that he's her worst enemy everywhere."

"Come on, Tyriana," Delaney pleaded. "There's a world outside of Quidditch. You of all people should know that. You're Muggleborn."

"Thanks for reminding me that the Slytherin pureblood bastard still believes that he's my superior," she growled back.

Brielle looked shocked, "Did he call you the M-word?"

"Mudblood? Not this time, no."

Siobhan leaned in, grabbing Tyriana's arm. "Don't ever call yourself that. He's an arrogant bully and nothing more. You'll show him on the Quidditch field that bloodlines don't mean anything."

"Talent is talent," Brielle agreed. "You'll kick his ass."

Alara didn't seem to like that she was alone in her opinion that Hawkins was attractive. "I understand that he's a jerk but can't you see that he's hot? Granted, he is a little short, but that makes him just like you. You're both small but attractive and play Quidditch as Seekers—"

"—Alara, I don't care that he's got great hair or nice cheekbones or whatever. I just can't see how you think him being the Head Boy is good for me."

"Well, there's nothing hotter than making out with your enemy," Delaney ventured. "You two are going to be sharing a suite…"

"You know that I don't do flings," she growled.

"Not to switch sides but there may actually be some advantages, however small, to this situation," Siobhan interjected.

"What's that?"

"Maybe you'll get the inside scoop on his Quidditch team."

"Or he could sneak into my room and tamper with my new broom or get a look at the Quidditch strategies I've spent all summer crafting. I wouldn't put it past a Slytherin like him." Tyriana put her head in her hands. "This might just ruin my year."

Her friends put comforting hands on her shoulders.

"It'll be fine, Tyriana. Perk up. Knowing you, being in direct competition with him is going to force you to bring your A game. This'll be Gryffindor's greatest Quidditch season in at least a decade," Brielle said.

"I hope so," she said. "I'm not graduating until the Quidditch Cup is in my hands."

Her friends knew that would always be her ultimate goal and there was a moment of silence as everyone prioritized eating.

"If you aren't attracted to Hawkins then who're you going to date this year?" Alara asked her.

"I don't know. Maybe nobody? I don't have to have a boyfriend to graduate, you know."

"You should at least make an effort," Brielle ventured.

"I agree," said Delaney.

"Of course you do, Delaney," Tyriana said. Romance and Delaney were inseparable.

"Take it from me," Greyson interjected, earning all of the girls' attention by his unexpected contribution to the conversation. "I have loads of friends who'd love to get on a first name basis with you, Tyriana."

"Look, I don't want to date some guy just so that I can say that I'm getting shagged," Tyriana retorted. Her friends giggled.

"I find it hard to believe that you're not attracted to a single guy at this school," Alara said.

"I didn't say that I wasn't attracted to anybody," she said. "I just want something meaningful."

"That doesn't mean you can't hook up with somebody in the meantime," Siobhan pointed out. She, like Brielle, could usually be depended on to have Tyriana's back. Siobhan joining the other side was a significant development, and Tyriana began to wonder if there were some merits to her friends' arguments."

Brielle chimed in, too. "Tyriana, it's been over a year since you got intimate with anyone. Now you've got a room to yourself and tons of guys who'd love to get to know you. You should try to enjoy your last year here." Brielle was the closest and most trustworthy of her friends, and Tyriana took her opinion very seriously.

"Fine. But technically I don't live alone. Hawkins is next door."

" All the more reason to invite a guy over," Alara said. "Make him jealous."

"I can't think of a better way to get into your enemy's head," Delaney agreed.

"Alright, alright, I'll do it. There was an attractive and fairly nice prefect who I met on the train today," she said. "Maybe I'll get to know him and see if he's worth my time."

Alara leaned closer. "Who is it?"

"Caden something. He's a Hufflepuff, I think."

Her eyes lit up. "Caden Weiss?"

"That sounds right."

"He's gorgeous," Alara raved. "My boyfriend knows him. We could have a double-date at Hogsmeade!"

Tyriana rolled her eyes. "Don't get ahead of yourself. Maybe I'll have a class with Caden or something. _Ugh_ , I can't believe that you've convinced me to do this shit."

"You need something other than Quidditch to occupy your mind," Brielle rationalized.

Tyriana rolled her eyes and spent a few minutes focusing on eating. Despite her ravenous appetite, her stomach could only hold so much and it wasn't long before she was full. She stared sullenly at the abundant food all around her, all of it looking delectable. Now it was just tempting her to make herself sick. After about five minutes, the food faded away — leaving everyone's golden tableware as shiny clean as before they had arrived — and dozens of dessert delicacies popped into existence to replace the entrees.

Tyriana groaned as her stomach shifted uncomfortably. She suffered through ten minutes of watching her friends gorge themselves, seeming entirely unconcerned about the junk that they were inhaling — what her fitness-obsessed parents would say if they saw this was beyond Tyriana's imagination — before the desserts finally disappeared, too.

The students' attention turned up to the staff table, where Professor McGonagall had once again stood. "Before I send you off to bed, I have several notices. First, both new and returning students should note that the Forbidden Forest is _still_ strictly off-limits, and for good reason. Magic is _never_ allowed in the corridors, no matter the circumstances. On a lighter note, Quidditch tryouts will take place on the second week of this term. Those interested who are second year and above should submit their names to their Heads of House, as usual. Now I hope you all will join me in welcoming our new staff members this year. Professor Pollock will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts" (most of the students applauded politely) "and Professor Hatton will be taking the post of Muggle Studies." (More applause) "Good luck, professors. And now, good night. Off to bed you go!"

The student body surged to their feet. Tyriana heard Delaney telling her boyfriend that Professor Hatton had forgotten to put his hat on (she seemed to think that was absolutely hilarious) but the majority of Tyriana's attention was focused on scanning the room to make sure that her prefects were doing their job and rounding up the first years. This was rather difficult given her height so she stepped up onto the bench she'd previously been sitting on to get a better view.

To her left, a prefect called, "Gryffindor first years, gather 'round. I'll be showing you the way to the Common Room and your dormitories."

"Ravenclaws first years, follow me to your dormitories!"

"Hufflepuff first years, gather here — No, no, there's no need to crawl under the table, you can stay on that side… uh, nevermind, then." Tyriana chuckled to herself as Caden struggled to control a Hufflepuff first year who had been particularly eager to stand exactly where he'd told his charges to gather.

"Slytherin first years, this way!" The Slytherin prefect who yelled that immediately began to saunter out of the hall, not waiting a single second to see if anyone was following him.

Thankfully, Hawkins saw this too and he immediately began to gather the stragglers who'd never even caught sight of their guide. "Don't worry, I'm the Head Boy. I'll help you get to your dormitories. Come with me — yes, you… I'm a Slytherin..."

Thankful that her Gryffindor prefects had done an excellent job corralling and guiding the first years out of the hall, Tyriana followed them out. It wasn't until she had climbed to the fourth floor that she remembered that she was no longer living in Gryffindor Tower, although she was still free to visit. As Head Girl, she shared a suite with the Head Boy adjacent to the Prefect's Bathroom on the fifth floor.

She found the appropriate door. It had a label (Head Boy/Girl Residence) and required a password, which she'd already memorized. "Meruit gratiam," she enunciated loudly and clearly. The door swung open as soon as she completed the last syllable.

Tyriana stepped into a pleasant sitting room that wasn't all that different from Gryffindor Common Room that she was familiar with. There was a sofa and two armchairs, all tastefully and lavishly upholstered, and several tables of varying sizes. A fire was roaring in the fireplace, filling the space with a warmth and coziness that immediately compelled her to feel like she was home. At the opposite end of the room were two doors. One was labeled Head Girl, the other Head Boy.

There was no sign that Hawkins had arrived yet (she suspected that he was still showing the Slytherin first years their new home in the dungeons — _why_ , she wondered, _can't we lock all of the slimy bastards down there and never let them out_?) so she peeked into the Head Boy's room first. It boasted a larger dresser and closet than the dormitories that she was familiar with, although the four-poster bed was identical. There were also nightstands on both sides. On the floor was Hawkins' trunk, which she recognized from the train, and a few of his other belongings had also been deposited in the room. She grinned when she saw his Nimbus 2010 broomstick. _Not so superior now, are you?_

Tyriana ventured into the Head Girl bedroom next. It was mirrored copy. Her own trunk was sitting on the floor and her Firebolt Supreme broomstick was resting on the bed. Feeling a bit paranoid about her investment, her first order of business was to pull a pair of socks that she never really planned on wearing (they were a gift from her muggle aunt, who was eccentric even by wizarding standards). She cast a shrinking charm on her broomstick and her Quidditch notebook (which she'd spent the summer filling with ideas for strategies, formations, and drills) before concealing each in its own sock. Putting those aside, she transferred the rest of her wardrobe to the dresser and closet before inconspicuously stashing the socks amongst her other clothes.

Satisfied with her handiwork, she also unpacked her textbooks and school supplies. Finally, Tyriana crammed her trunk under her bed.

The door to the suite opened abruptly and Hawkins entered, seeming a little out of breath.

"Long climb from the dungeons?" she teased from her doorway.

He nodded and trudged over to his room. "Good night." His door closed before she could respond.

Even she was surprised by the terseness of the conversation, if it even counted as one. She'd almost been hoping for more. Shrugging, Tyriana changed into her nightgown and got ready for bed. Before turning in she put her ear to Hawkins' door but heard nothing. Wondering if he really had gone straight to sleep without even unpacking, she collapsed on her own bed and quickly drifted off into the world of her dreams.


	3. The Semester Begins

**A/N** : Most of the story is already written and my schedule is pretty open so I'm going to aim for daily updates. That being said, _Rivalry_ is currently written as a rated M and I decided yesterday that I should edit it down to a T rating. That may cause a few delays for certain forthcoming chapters.

 **Chapter 3**

 **The Semester Begins**

 **September 2nd, 2013**

Tyriana awoke on Monday morning feeling rested and refreshed. She got ready for breakfast and, by 7:25, was heading down to the Great Hall. Her ears picked up jeering voices along the way and she went to investigate.

A first year Ravenclaw had gotten his foot stuck in a vanishing step on the staircase. Three burly Slytherin fourth years were standing out of his reach and laughing as he struggled to free himself.

"Hey!" Tyriana shouted to get their attention. "Five points from Slytherin. Move along."

The Slytherins slouched away and she descended the staircase to help the first year escape.

"Sorry about all that. Let me help you."

The young boy had done quite a good job wedging his foot into something under the vanishing step and, try as she might, she couldn't get it out.

"Hey, Gallagher," called a familiar voice from the top of the stairs, a voice that seemed to carry its own smirk. Tyriana groaned. It was Hawkins. "Need a hand?" He was coming closer.

"I suppose."

"Frankly, I'm surprised that no one else has come along to help," he said as he joined her. Together, they were able to yank the first year's leg free.

"Thanks," the little Ravenclaw panted.

"No problem," Tyriana said. Turning to Hawkins, she explained, "Some fourth years did come by but they were Slytherins and all they did is point and laugh." She swallowed, expecting him to get angry when she added, "I had to take points away."

Hawkins grunted and headed down the stairs, muttering something that sounded like "Probably deserved it."

She wasn't sure whether he was referring to the Ravenclaw for getting stuck and laughed at or the Slytherins for getting penalized. The former, she abruptly realized, was still standing by her side.

"Um, excuse me, ma'am, but how do I get to breakfast? I'm lost."

Tyriana had never been called "ma'am" before and it caught her a bit off guard. "Um, you can call me Tyriana. Come with me; I'll show you the way to the Great Hall." She started down the stairs and the first year trailed behind her obediently. It wasn't long before they encountered three first year Gryffindor girls who also appeared to be lost.

"Don't worry," she told them. "Finding your way around will get much easier by the end of the week. Come with us and I'll show you how to get to breakfast." As they walked, she pointed out some landmarks to them and advised them to stick to the major hallways and staircases whenever possible. "Also, don't hesitate to ask myself, one of the prefects, one of the staff, or one of the ghosts for directions. We're here to help — except for Peeves and the Bloody Baron, that is." Seeing that the first years didn't understand that, she quickly explained which ghosts and staff members to avoid like the plague. "Don't let that scare you, though. They can seem intimidating but they'll never do anything that will _actually_ ruin your life. And, look, we've made it to the Great Hall."

Hardly a minute later, she was joining her friends at the Gryffindor table.

"You being late isn't going to become a regular occurrence, is it?" Brielle asked.

"I hope not," she said, piling food on her plate and digging in.

Delaney leaned forward, and Tyriana recognized the look on her face. She was ready to gossip. "So how was your night with Julian?"

"Merlin, Delaney, you're making it sound like I slept with him!"

"Well?"

"Nothing happened, really. I was pretty much done unpacking by the time he arrived. He just went straight to bed. I don't think he even unpacked."

Delaney looked disappointed. "What about this morning?"

"I left before he came out of his room."

"Then why did he get here first?"

" I had to help some lost first years."

Tyriana was saved from further interrogation as she received her a schedule.

"What classes did you get?' Siobhan asked eagerly.

"Same subjects as last year, just more advanced," she muttered.

"Duh. I mean, do we have any together?"

Tyriana glanced at her friend's schedule. "Nope. That sucks."

As soon as her last class was over, Tyriana hurried to her room, where she changed into a tank-top and jeans and retrieved her Firebolt Supreme. She waited to enlarge it until she got down to the Quidditch pitch. The stadium was empty. Pulling out her wand, she said " _Engorgio_ ," and the broomstick returned to its usual size. She mounted it and kicked off from the ground.

Since buying the Firebolt Supreme a week-and-a-half ago, she'd only had the chance to ride it twice. Both times she'd had to journey far into the woods so that no muggles saw her and, even then, she had to stay pretty close to the ground just in case. Finally, she was free to push it beyond the limits of even the worst broomstick.

The Firebolt Supreme took off and flew like a rocket. Tyriana sped across the Quidditch field, her hair flying behind her. She'd forgotten to put it in a ponytail. _Oh well_ , she thought. The joy of riding her broomstick was well worth it. Ever since she'd first flown during the flying lesson in her first year, she'd known that this was where she belonged. Nothing was more entertaining and refreshing than soaring through the air like an eagle, the invisible fingers of the wind caressing her face and tugging at her hair. She basked in the warmth of the sun and the late summer air. This was freedom, this was serenity.

Tyriana spent an hour practicing on her new broom. She sprinted up and down the field, putting the Firebolt Supreme through its paces. She weaved through the towers and around the goalposts, too. No matter what she did, the broom always felt like an extension of her body. It handled perfectly and obeyed her every command with the slightest input. It was almost too good; the absence of quirks in its performance made it feel like a Muggle machine. Giddy with excitement, she finally landed and hiked back up to the castle.

She and her broomstick received a lot of stares as she made her way back to the Head Boy/Girl suite. Those who didn't recognize the model stared because the broom was as big as she was and those who did stared because it was widely acknowledged to be the best broomstick in the world. When she opened the door to the suite, Hawkins was sitting in an armchair, flipping casually through one of his textbooks. His eyes flicked up to her.

"Merlin's beard, what happened to your hair?" he asked, on the verge of teasing her. Then he saw her broomstick and he jumped to his feet. "Is that… Is that a Firebolt Supreme?!"

She nodded proudly and held it up for him to see.

Hawkins looked like he'd just laid eyes on the largest collection of treasure that he'd ever seen. "Holy shit," he muttered, his gaze lingering on every inch of it. He reached out. "Can I touch it?"

"No," she said, pulling it out of reach and making a beeline for her room. She didn't trust him not to tamper it somehow. _Maybe I shouldn't have shown it off like that_ , she thought. _Hell, the whole school is going to know that I have it by tomorrow_. Nevertheless, she was too energetic after her wonderful flight to fret about such things. She closed the door to make sure that Hawkins couldn't see where she hid the broom.

He was sitting down again when she came out. "I wasn't kidding about your hair, by the way. Now I know why the Gryffindor Quidditch team calls you Captain Crazy Hair."

"Shut up, Hawkins," she growled, heading for the bathroom.

"Honestly, though, the disheveled look isn't at all bad on you. If I didn't know better I'd think that you just finished shagging someone."

As she retrieved her homework from her room, she remembered her friends' advice to get in his head by making him jealous. "Maybe I did. Anyways, I'm going to head out. Enjoy your homework."

Tyriana left on that note and hiked up to the Gryffindor Common Room, where she sat down with Brielle and Siobhan.

"I've missed not having you here all the time," said the former.

"Where're Alara and Delaney?" she asked.

Siobhan pointed over her shoulder. "Delaney's over there." Tyriana turned and saw Greyson sitting in an armchair in the corner with Delaney on his lap. They were snogging and getting quite hands-on. Tyriana shook her head; Delaney never had understood that there was such a thing as too much PDA. "And," Siobhan continued, "I think Alara's smuggled her Hufflepuff boyfriend off to the Room of Requirement."

"They're probably shagging," Brielle concluded.

"Good for them," Tyriana said.

"How're things going with Hawkins?"

"Fine, actually. I took my broom for a spin — that means I gave it a test flight — and, when I got back, my hair was so messed up that he thought I was shagging someone. I played along a little bit." She often had to explain muggle expressions to her friends.

"That's bloody brilliant," Siobhan said. Brielle nodded.

Tyriana spent the next few hours working hard on her homework with her friends. Alara returned at some point, looking exhausted but happy, and Delaney and Greyson immediately left as if they'd been waiting for a cue.

"I think the Room of Requirement was designed for better purposes than shagging," Tyriana whispered when Alara wasn't listening. Brielle and Siobhan agreed. Delaney and Greyson eventually returned and spent a little time studying, although neither was particularly serious while they were still in arm's reach of each other.

At dinner time, Tyriana and her friends trekked down to the Great Hall.

"I have my first curfew patrol with Hawkins tonight," she told her friends.

"Maybe try to be civil," Brielle suggested. "You don't want your life turning into a constant argument with him. I think that would be miserable."

"I'll try," she said, "but that's really up to how he treats me. We've exchanged a few harmless sentences but ninety percent of our conversations dissolve into arguments and bragging."

"Good luck," said Siobhan.

"I'm going to need it."


	4. Curfew Patrol

**A/N** : I apologize for the formatting issues. I had tried copying and pasting the text of this chapter instead of downloading the Google doc and uploading it to this site. Clearly that doesn't work. I will go back to uploading the document as I did on the first three chapters. Thank you to who brought this issue to my attention.

 **Chapter 4**

 **Curfew Patrol**

 **September 2nd, 2013**

Tyriana's watch showed 9:30 when she and Hawkins set out from their suite to patrol. Neither said a word for the first five minutes.

"This is kinda awkward," she finally ventured to say. "Can we try to talk but keep it friendly… Or, at least, civil?"

"Of course," he said. "I presume that means we can't talk about Quidditch, as we are liable to argue over the results of last season."

"One more goal and we would have tied—"

He tutted. "Merlin's beard, Tyriana, you're breaking your own rules hardly ten seconds after you make them."

"Maybe you shouldn't provoke me, then."

"Maybe you should stop being so provocable," he countered.

"That's not a word."

"Yes, it is." They turned a corner and Hawkins remarked, "This is one dark corridor. _Lumos_." The tip of his raised wand glowed white, illuminating the hall in dim light.

"Scared of the dark, Hawkins?" she teased.

"Shut up, Gallagher. Believe me, if you'd spent half the time I have in the dungeons then you'd get used to the dark. You'd have to. Besides, you still can't seem to remember your own suggestion to keep the conversation friendly."

"Sorry. Why don't we talk about—" She jumped as he put a hand over her mouth, cutting her off.

" _Shhh_! Do you hear that?"

Tyriana listened carefully. A faint laugh drifted down the corridor. "It's coming from that classroom at the end of the hall."

Hawkins dimmed his wand a bit so that they could just barely see and they crept together up to the door. Hawkins was clearly hoping to catch whoever was breaking curfew in the act. They were close enough that they could hear voices now: one male, one female.

"You don't need to try to seduce me," said the girl.

Tyriana was curious to see what happened next but Hawkins ruined it by knocking firmly on the door. The girl yelped.

"This is the Head Boy. It's after curfew and I know that you're in there. Come out now and return to your dormitories," Hawkins said loudly.

The door opened and a boy and girl who looked to each be in their fifth year stepped out, holding hands and blushing profusely in Hawkins' wand light.

"You're a Slytherin," Hawkins said, glaring at the girl. "I would have hoped that you know better than venture out after hours." He gestured for her to leave and she obediently scurried away in the direction of the dungeons.

Tyriana stepped forward, not wanting to be left out of the proceedings. "What house are you?" she asked the boy.

"Ravenclaw."

"1 point from Ravenclaw," Hawkins said immediately.

Tyriana glared at him. "Can't stomach taking a point from your own house, too, eh? I'll do it: 1 point from Slytherin." Turning to the boy, she added, "Off you go." The boy fled. She and Hawkins set off again. "Why didn't you take a point away from her?"

He shrugged. "Didn't think of it until after she left."

"Bullshit."

"For Merlin's sake, Tyriana, everybody makes mistakes."

"You don't have to take points away to people's faces, you know. You could have taken points away from both Slytherin and Ravenclaw at the same time," she pointed out.

He scowled, the contours of his face sharp in the unflattering light of his wand. He looked rather frightening like that, and she unconsciously put some distance between them.

Tyriana pulled out her own wand. " _Lumos_." The second source of light diffused the harsh shadows on his face a bit.

"So," he said after a moment. "Let's give this friendly conversation thing a second go."

"Fine by me."

"How was your summer?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Boring, for the most part. I'm old enough to do magic outside of school but I can't just do it anywhere, you know? The Muggles aren't very understanding or accepting of that kind of thing. Instead I have to use their technology. It's alright, I suppose, But it really just makes me miss having magic. There's a reason that Muggles fantasize about having magic powers; it's better than what they have in their daily lives. What about you? How was your summer?"

"It was good," he said. "My parents and I went on a vacation in France. That was nice. The weather was absolutely brilliant and the culture was interesting. I think I'd like to travel abroad a bit after I finish up at Hogwarts. The world's a wonderful place, you know."

"It is. I've traveled a few places with my parents."

"In an airplane? Muggles do find ingenious ways to solve problems," Hawkins said.

She coughed in disbelief. "I'm sorry… Did _you_ just compliment _Muggles_?"

He nodded, meeting her gaze. "People change, Tyriana. I'm not the same person I was in second year, if that's what you're referring to."

She scowled. "Do you remember every word you said to me? I do."

He groaned. "Let's not talk about this now, okay? It's way too late at night to argue. Let's just get back to the pleasant conversation."

"Fine."

" I think it's your turn to come up with a topic."

"We're doing this like a game?"

"Given your affinity for Quidditch I thought that you'd like that kind of thing."

"That's entirely unrelated." Tyriana's mind was still lingering on her blood status, so she said, "My parents are both employed. They own a gym."

"What's a gym?"

"It's a place where Muggles go to exercise. I still have yet to understand why witches and wizards aren't interested in exercise."

Hawkins shrugged. "I guess physical ability matters more in the muggle world because they don't have magic to, as you said yesterday, solve all of their problems for them."

"That's a reasonable guess. What about you? What do your parents do?"

"Well, my father works for the Ministry of Magic. He's a high-level assistant to the Minister, in fact. My mother isn't employed."

"Your father must be a busy man."

"That's for sure. He spends most of his time at the Ministry and, when he does get home, all he wants to do is relax."

"That sounds tough."

"Yeah, well… I manage. I like it when he's not around. Anyways, uh, I think it's my turn." He looked a little uncomfortable.

"Sure. Go ahead."

"Well, uh, which countries have you visited?"

"Italy, Germany and America," she said. "What about you?"

"France, Ireland… and that's all so far. It's really far away but I hear that New Zealand is amazing. I'd like to go there someday. My father almost got tickets when the Quidditch World Cup was over there a few years back. What I would've given to go there..."

"That would have been amazing," Tyriana said.

They reached one of the castle's main staircases.

"I think we've got the middle floors pretty well covered," Hawkins said. "Do you want to do the dungeons or the towers next?"

"Actually, I was thinking we could split up. I'll go patrol the upper floors and towers while you return to your home turf in the dungeons."

His eyebrows rose. "Home turf?"

"It's a Muggle expression, but that's beside the point. What do you think of my idea?"

He shrugged, his eyes turning mischievous. "If you think you can handle being alone in the dark then let's do it."

"If I can handle...?! In case you haven't noticed, Mr. I Was The First To Comment On How Dark It Was And Light My Wand, I'm handling myself pretty well!"

"Well, Ms. I Lit My Wand Even Though There Was Already Plenty of Light, I _almost_ doubt that."

"Almost?"

He sighed. "Truth be told, you actually seem pretty fearless."

She sensed that he was being genuine. "Thanks. Um, if I'm not back when you get back, I guess I'll see you in the morning."

Hawkins feigned disbelief. "Was that a sincere, heartfelt farewell?"

"Get your ass down to those dungeons before I push you down the stairs," she growled.

He started to descend on his own, tossing a sarcastic "Well, goodnight to you, too, Tyriana," over his shoulder.

She chuckled and started to climb. "Goodnight, Hawkins."

He stopped. "Will you ever use my first name?"

She stopped too, peering down over the stairrail at him. "Not as long as you keep using my last."

"I said 'Tyriana' this time."

She sighed. "Goodnight, _Julian_. Happy now?"

"You bet." He disappeared down the stairs and she resumed her long climb. For the sake of exercise, she started taking the stairs two at a time, which was quite a feat for someone with legs as short as hers.

Outside of the portrait hole into Gryffindor tower, she found a lone first year student sleeping. No doubt she had forgotten the password. Tyriana nudged the young girl but got no response. She squatted, picked up the young student, gave the Fat Lady the password, and carried her into the Gryffindor Common Room. She carefully deposited the girl on the couch and, spotting a spare piece of parchment and a quill nearby, scribbled a quick note: "The password is dragon snout."

When she returned to the suite some time later, Hawkins' door was closed but she could see light peeking through the gap underneath. She changed into her nightgown and got ready for bed. For the second night in a row she was quick to fall asleep.


	5. Quidditch Tryouts

**A/N** : I apologize for the formatting issues. I had tried copying and pasting the text of this chapter instead of downloading the Google doc and uploading it to this site. Clearly that doesn't work. I will go back to uploading the document as I did on the first three chapters. Thank you to who brought this issue to my attention.

 **Chapter 5**

 **Quidditch Tryouts**

 **September 9th, 2013**

Wearing her Quidditch robes and proudly hefting her Firebolt Supreme, Tyriana marched out onto the Quidditch pitch. A motley group of Gryffindors, ranging from two or three second years to a dozen sixth and seventh years, were mingling near the center of the field. A few spotted her coming and made a point of standing at attention, but the vast majority were chatting. Tyriana noted who fell into each category on a clipboard she was carrying. She had received the list of applicants for the Quidditch team at dinner the previous evening and she'd spent the night preparing her notes.

More and more people were beginning to notice that she was there, but about half were still distracted. Tyriana took the opportunity to scan the small collection of onlookers in the stands. All were Gryffindors.

Tyriana returned her attention to the assembly of applicants in front of her. "MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE?" she yelled.

Finally, they shut up.

Speaking softer now, she said, "Alright, everybody, this is the year. This is the year when Gryffindor will finally reclaim the Inter-House Quidditch Cup. Our season total last year was only 10 points less than Slytherin's. We will not let that happen again, especially because this will be their tenth consecutive championship if they beat us. Accordingly, I am looking to form Gryffindor's best Quidditch team in recent memory; a Quidditch team that can wipe the arrogant smirks right off their faces. You may think that I am putting a lot of pressure on you today, but it is for good reason. I need players who can perform no matter what happens. Last year's team was strong, but that doesn't mean that returning players will be judged with any favoritism today. Everyone has to earn their spot on the team. Any questions?"

Silence.

"Brilliant. I'm looking for three Chasers, two Beaters and one Keeper. We'll be starting with the Chasers. If you applied to be a Beater or a Keeper, please take a seat in the part of the stands that's empty over there."

About a third of the candidates trudged off in the direction that she indicated.

Tyriana addressed the remaining applicants. A lot of them looked unsure of themselves and there were way too many of them for her to judge seriously. It was time to thin the herd. "Alright. I'm going to start you off with some basic flying drills. Mount your brooms and meet me up by that goalpost."

A moment later, the twenty-two Chaser candidates were hovering by the goalpost, some with more success than others. Tyriana took quick note of those that struggled. "The first drill is about as easy as it comes. You'll be weaving back and forth through the spectator towers. Try to do so as quickly and smoothly as possible. After one clockwise lap, regroup here. Make sure to go around the outside of the first tower, inside the second, outside the third, and so on. Ready? Go!"

She took notes as the candidates began. The wide range in skill amongst the contestants resulted in a narrow, mostly single-file chain with the fastest individuals in the front and the stragglers trailing far behind. Tyriana was a bit surprised to see that there was a second year girl contesting a sixth year for first place. All of the other second, third and fourth years was near the back. What was even more impressive was that the sixth year she was racing, Hugh Addison, had been on last year's team. _This girl's definitely someone to keep an eye on. I wonder if her Quaffle skills are as impressive as her broom handling_?

Tyriana identified the members of the back half of the chain and crossed them off on her list. Their flying was more than lackluster and no amount of time and effort on her part would get them where they needed to be before the first match.

The differences in skill amongst the applicants was so apparent that, by the time the frontrunners finished, some of the stragglers were only halfway around the field. The last contestant, a fourth year, was flying so poorly that Tyriana feared that he would fall off any second.

"Stay here," she said to those who had finished. Tucking her clipboard under her arm, Tyriana sped across the field. She easily pulled up alongside the troubled flyer, who was clutching his broom with white knuckles. "Duncan, I think you should land right now before there's an accident. I don't think Quidditch is for you."

Duncan managed to land his broom under her supervision.

"Nice effort," she said. "Feel free to stay and watch." With that, she zipped back up to rejoin the 21 remaining candidates.

A few of them were conversing and Tyriana heard a bit of it as she approached.

"—see the way that Firebolt Supreme flies?"

"I think it's more like how she rides it. She could make any broom look bloody brilliant."

Tyriana cut them off before they could say anything more. "I'm going to be brutally honest now, okay? There were only five of you who performed at the level I'm looking for. That being said, your ability to control your broom isn't everything when it comes to being a Chaser, so I'm only going to cut the last ten finishers." Tyriana listed their names. "Thank you for coming and giving this your best shot. Feel free to hang out and watch the rest of the tryouts."

The eliminated candidates flew away. Tyriana returned her attention to the eleven remaining. Included in their number were two Chasers from the previous year's team named Jessamine Holloway and Hugh Addison. The third Chaser had graduated. The stunning second-year girl who'd given Hugh a run for his money was also present.

"Congratulations on surviving the first cut," Tyriana said to the group. "Of course, your skills with the Quaffle are equally important." Pulling out her wand, she pointed it at the box of Quidditch balls on the turf below them and said, " _Accio Quaffle_." The large ball flew towards her waiting hand and she caught it with a Seeker's skill. "Alright. I'm going to divide you up into four teams of three."

Tyriana focused on making the first two teams even. She placed Jessamine on one team and Hugh on the other. The unexpectedly talented second-year named Clover was put on one team and counterbalanced by Taquin Donnelly, the next most promising applicant. The third slot on each team was taken by the fifth and sixth place finishers, respectively, although she put them in reverse order to act as a counterbalance to Clover's higher finish than Taquin. That left five candidates leftover.

"I'll deal with the second set of teams after the first has gone," she said. Pointing to the leftovers, she instructed them to stay out of the way while the two teams were competing to score the Quaffle in the Keeper-less hoops. She gave each team a side of the field. "Play as if this is a real game. I want to see your skill with the Quaffle and how you work as a team. Now take your positions."

When they were ready, Tyriana tossed the Quaffle up and watched the two teams scramble to seize control of it. The action was too fast for her to take written notes so she recorded her thoughts in her memory instead.

After about ten minutes and numerous scores from both sides she had enough information to judge who the best candidates were. As she had expected, Jessamine and Hugh proved themselves to be at the top of the pack. Unless one or more of the members from the third or fourth teams proved themselves unexpectedly talented, Tyriana was pretty sure that they'd be making the team again. Clover didn't shine quite as much with the Quaffle — it was almost too big for her to comfortably hold — but she still showed some promise. With formal training and proper strategy, Tyriana thought that this girl might be a solid addition to the team. Taquin, a seventh year, also showed potential. She recalled his failed tryout from the previous year; he'd clearly been practicing a lot since then because his skills were drastically improved. That by no means meant that he'd hit his peak, though, as she perceived that he was capable of doing even better.

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Tyriana yelled. She had to do this a few times before they all heard her. She gestured for them to regroup around her. "Great job, everybody. Unfortunately, Alastair and Maisie, you didn't make the cut."

The two candidates who'd finished fifth and sixth in the race left without complaint. They seemed to understand her decision. Their performance had been significantly worse than the other four.

Tyrianna turned to consider the five waiting Chaser candidates at the edge of the field. She needed one more player to make a 3v3 game possible. She glanced at the four next to her who had just finished playing. Clover was the oddball candidate. Tyriana needed to see more to determine if she was a viable choice.

"Clover, stay here with me. The rest of you, go over to where they're waiting and tell them to come over here. It's their turn."

As she watched the five new Chasers approaching, Tyriana guessed that they were all longshots. Their broom handling had been okay, but unless one of them had magic hands with the Quaffle then there wasn't much chance of any of them making the team.

She created the teams and got them started playing. Clover distinguished herself as the most talented on a broomstick and a boy on her team named Gordon did an excellent job coordinating with her and effectively moving the Quaffle up the field. After giving them ten minutes to play, Tyrianna dismissed them all except for Clover and Gordon. She then gestured for Jessamine, Hugh and Taquin to join her. "Congratulations on making the top 5. I want to see how you do with a Keeper guarding the goalposts. Wait here while I retrieve the Keeper candidates."

Tyriana moved to hover in front of the waiting Beaters and Keepers. "Keepers, it's your turn."

Four students mounted their broomsticks and followed her up to join the Chasers who were still in contention. Tyriana glanced at her clipboard. There was Trevor, Gregory, Clarence, and Lydia. Tyriana did a double-take. There was a girl trying out for Keeper. That was quite rare, to her knowledge. Tyriana surveyed the girl in question. Lydia Faulkner was a fifth year and she was about six feet tall, had sufficiently long arms, and appeared to be sitting quite comfortably on her broom. She had a good build for the position, but all of that would mean nothing if her hand-eye coordination, reflexes, instincts, and ability to handle pressure weren't up to par. Tyriana noted the three boys eying Lydia wearily. _Probably afraid she's going to embarrass them_ , Tyriana thought.

"Alright. We're going to start doing some more realistic drills," she said. "The Keepers will each get a turn to defend the hoops. Three Chasers will start at midfield and attempt to score five times per Keeper. The team of Chasers will change after every Keeper tryout. Any questions? No? Good. Trevor will be the first Keeper. The first team of Chasers will be Jessamine, Taquin, and Clover. The rest of you come with me to the sidelines." When everyone was ready, she shouted, "BEGIN!"

Tyriana could immediately see that Trevor was talented. He saved the first goal easily. He also stopped the second. The Chasers' third attempt slipped through, but he did block the fourth and fifth goals.

"Excellent," Tyriana said as Trevor and the Chasers rejoined her. She was finally starting to see the inklings of a decent Quidditch team. "The next Keeper will be Gregory and, on the Chaser squad, Jessamine will be replaced by Hugh."

Gregory, Hugh, Taquin and Clover had hardly begun to fly away when Trevor moved up next to Tyriana, sitting casually on his broomstick with his arms folded. "I just wanted to tell you how amazing you look on that broomstick. You know, I've heard people saying that you're the best Gryffindor Seeker since Harry Potter but I'd have to disagree. You're much better than him."

"Uh… thanks," Tyriana said, hoping that he'd go away so that she could focus on judging Gregory's performance.

"You're as comfortable on a broomstick as a mermaid is in the water, but you're much more attractive."

Tyriana cringed and glared at him, expertly applying a thoroughly revolted expression. "Seriously? Is that your pick-up line?"

He nodded earnestly.

"God help us all," she muttered.

He leaned closer. "What did you say?"

"Nothing," she growled. "If you say one more word to me I can personally guarantee that you won't be making the team."

Trevor hastily retreated to rejoin the others.

Seeing that Gregory and the Chasers were waiting for her cue, Tyriana shouted, "BEGIN!"

Gregory didn't do well. He only stopped the Chaser's third and fifth attempts.

"Clarence, you're up," she said. "Clover, take a break. Gordon will replace you on the Chaser squad."

Clarence saved three goals, but missed two. Trevor still held the lead in number of saves and how easily he'd made them.

"You're turn, Lydia. Jessamine, you're going to replace Taquin."

Lydia flew out to the goalposts and Hugh, Jessamine and Gordon headed for midfield.

"BEGIN!"

Lydia missed the Chasers' first goal but saved the second, third, fourth and fifth. That meant she was tied with Trevor. She'd also looked just as comfortable on her broom as he had looked on his.

Tyriana considered her predicament. As much as she didn't want to see Trevor ever again, she couldn't deny that he was a good Keeper. Lydia was definitely skilled, too, and she'd seemed to predict the Chaser's movements better once she hit her stride. It was entirely possible that her miss on the first save was due to nerves. Perhaps she needed a little warm-up before she hit her potential. Her four saves had all been very clean.

Tyriana turned her thoughts to the Chasers. Trevor had been facing Jessamine, Taquin and Clover. All three posed an almost equal threat as they approached the goalposts. Lydia had faced Hugh, Jessamine and Gordon. While Hugh and Jessamine were exceptionally dangerous from a Keeper's perspective, Gordon hadn't been pulling his weight. His leadership talent was useless when two players like Hugh and Jessamine, who had spent the entire last season playing in perfect harmony, were teaming with him. His talent for coordinating the team's offense only seemed to work with less-experienced teammates who otherwise wouldn't have worked together as seamlessly. Furthermore, his scoring ability was clearly below theirs.

She told Gordon politely that he'd just missed the cut. She thanked him for his efforts and wished him luck with the next year's tryouts. She also dismissed Gregory and Clarence.

Now she was down to four Chasers. She'd have to eliminate one. Jessamine and Hugh were clearly performing just as well, if not better, than they had the previous year. They would be making the team. The question was who the third Chaser would be. Clover displayed enormous potential, but Tyriana couldn't shake the feeling that she was too young and too small. Taquin was a good Chaser and she thought he could be almost on par with Jessamine and Hugh with a few weeks' training. He was the safer bet.

Tyriana drifted her broom over to Clover.

"I didn't make it, did I?" the younger girl asked.

"You were _so_ close," Tyriana said. "Believe me when I say that you have lots of potential. You're great on the broom. Keep practicing with the Quaffle and try out again next year. I'm sure you'll be a fantastic Chaser when you're a little older."

Clover nodded. "Thanks for giving me a chance."

"No problem. Thanks for coming out."

Clover returned to the ground and Tyriana turned to the remaining three Chasers. "Congratulations. You've made the team."

Jessamine and Hugh exchanged high-fives. Taquin looked relieved. Trevor looked like he was itching to ask about her decision with the Keepers.

She decided to address the subject before he said something stupid. "As it stands, Trevor and Lydia are tied. Both have made four out of five saves. Let's see who does better now that both will be attempting ten saves and facing the same three Chasers. Lydia, you'll be going first this time." Tyriana waited until everyone was ready. "BEGIN!"

Lydia barely got the first save although, to be fair, Hugh had resorted to some of his best tricks in an effort to get the Quaffle past her. She proceeded to save the Chaser's second, third, fourth, sixth, seventh, ninth and tenth attempts.

"Eight out of ten," Tyriana muttered. "Not bad at all." Lydia's instincts and reflexes were certainly excellent. She never misjudged the hoop that the Chasers were aiming for and she had a good sense of which goal she was in front of without having to look. Her only two misses were the result of exceptionally skillful and unconventional plays on the part of the Chasers that no Keeper could anticipate. "Trevor, you're up."

His performance was markedly different this time. He missed the first two saves. He seemed to be recovering well and on the path to tying Lydia again until he missed his eighth and tenth saves as well. By now it was clear to Tyriana that Lydia was the better of the two. She'd made more saves and she'd recovered quicker from her mistakes. Tyriana was glad that she only had to talk to Trevor one more time.

"I'm sorry but you've missed the cut," she told him.

Trevor glared at her. "This is ridiculous! You just don't like me."

"While I will admit to disliking your awful attempt at flirting, I made my decision entirely based on the results on the field. Lydia made more saves than you and she was more consistent."

"That's bullshit. You're such a—-"

Trevor suddenly found Hugh's wand poking into his throat.

"Say one more word about her and I'll hex your ass."

Still glaring, Trevor spun his broom around and flew straight towards the castle.

"What an asshole," Hugh said.

Tyriana nodded in agreement. "Thanks."

"Any time."


	6. Beckett

**Chapter 6**

 **Beckett**

 **September 9th, 2013**

Tyriana told her Chasers and Keeper that they could relax in the stands and then called up the Beater candidates. There were seven of them and all were new, as the previous year's Beaters had both graduated. Six of the candidates immediately mounted their brooms and flew up to her. One was a few seconds behind the rest, although it didn't seem to be because of his lack of confidence on a broom. In fact, he seemed to be absolutely glowing with positive energy. He looked like a Beater, too, with his broad shoulders, powerful arms and trim waist. Tyriana checked her notes and saw that his name was Beckett Hicks. He was a sixth year. The others were named Oscar, Alex, Charles, Benjamin, Theo, and Dylan.

"Come with me," she told them. Next to the crate of Quidditch balls was another crate. In this one were targets that the Bludgers would believe were players. They were bewitched to fly like broomsticks. Tyriana handed all of the beaters their clubs and asked who wanted to try protecting the targets from the Bludgers first. Beckett immediately volunteered.

As soon as he was in the air, Tyrianna noticed Hugh Addison signalling her from where he was sitting in the stands.

"Excuse me for a moment," she said to the Beaters, hopping on her Firebolt Supreme and gliding over to Hugh. "What is it?"

"I saw that Beater who's in the air right now drink something right before he flew up after the others."

"So?"

"It didn't look like a beverage. It looked like a potion of some kind."

"Could you describe it?"

"It was definitely a distinct gold color. I wasn't close enough to see any more detail. What I did see was that he went from a nervous wreck to a beacon of positivity in two seconds flat."

Tyriana weighed the evidence. Beckett had definitely been a few seconds behind the others when she'd called them up. She trusted Hugh; he wouldn't lie about what he'd seen, nor did he have any motivation to do so. Furthermore, Beckett had seemed very happy and go-lucky when he'd arrived. _Wait, that's it_ , she thought. "Liquid Luck."

"He brewed Felix Felices just to get through a Quidditch tryout?" Hugh looked stunned. "He does realize that we're going to be having Quidditch practice several times a week and that potion takes six months to brew, right?"

"It's a pretty stupid plan," she admitted, "But the evidence is there. Even if it isn't Liquid Luck it's still suspicious. I can't have anyone cheating their way onto the team."

"If you confront him while it's still in effect, though, won't his luck result in him seeming innocent?"

Tyriana considered the question. "Maybe, but the way Professor Slughorn described Felix Felices gave me the impression that it just gives you guidance towards the best decisions. I don't think it controls what other people actually do on their own accord. I mean, it hasn't stopped us from having this conversation."

Hugh nodded. "There's only one way to test that theory, huh?"

"Yep," she said. "I want you to come with me."

They mounted their brooms and flew over to where Beckett was drifting, confidently waiting for his tryout to begin.

"Your name is Beckett?" she asked.

"That's right."

"Hugh here saw you drinking a potion right after I called the Beaters up. We think it was Liquid Luck."

Beckett's face showed some surprise, but his tone was convincing. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Tyriana had expected him to be convincing, so she soldiered on. "I'm the Head Girl, you know. If you are indeed cheating, I can take away points, give you detention, or report you to Professor McGonagall."

"Well, I haven't done anything wrong, so—"

"—Let's go check his bag in the stands and see for ourselves," Hugh suggested.

"Good idea. As Head Girl I have the authority to search your belongings for suspicious items." This wasn't entirely true, but she and Hugh turned around and started to head back towards the stands anyways.

Beckett hurried after them. "If I show you my bag will you stop accusing me of something that I didn't do?"

"Perhaps," Tyriana said. They landed together and Beckett searched the bleachers for a moment before picking up a bag.

"This one's mine. Feel free to search the whole thing. There's no Felix Felices in there and I'm innocent."

Hugh chuckled. "There's one problem, Beckett. That's not the bag I saw you pulling the Liquid Luck out of." He pointed at a different bag a few feet away. "That's yours."

For a moment Beckett was frozen.

Tyriana took advantage of this brief moment of indecision. "I know the Liquid Luck is motivating you to make the best decision you can right now so think about it this way: Your plan is to drink Felix Felices before every single practice and every single Quidditch match. You are aware that the Gryffindor team will be practicing almost every single day in the weeks before each match, right? Did you know that Liquid Luck is toxic if consumed in large quantities? I'm sure that you are also aware, since you have some, that it is a very challenging potion to make and it requires six months of brewing? Your plan simply isn't feasible, particularly because we are already on to you. You could keep pretending like you didn't do it and watch me report you to Professor McGonagall — there's no way that you have enough Liquid Luck to last you the duration of her investigation, and using it would only increase the likelihood of you being caught red-handed. You will likely be expelled and you and I both know how bad that will look. Good luck finding a job anywhere other than the Knight Bus with that record. Your other option is to come clean now. I will still report you but there is a fair chance that the punishment will be less severe. You get to save your reputation and find a respectable career after you graduate. It's all up to you."

Beckett considered the options she'd laid out. His shoulders slumped and he held out his bag for them to inspect. "I did it," he said softly.

Tyriana opened the bag and saw a vial of golden liquid on top. "Is that what you saw him drink?" she asked Hugh.

"Yes."

It was definitely Liquid Luck. Tyriana glanced at her watch, then at the line of Beaters who needed to be tested. There wasn't enough time for her to handle this case of cheating _and_ complete the tryouts. It was almost dinner time.

"Jessamine!" she called.

The Chaser hurried over. "Yes?"

Tyriana handed her the clipboard. "I need to go to Professor McGonagall's office with Hugh and Beckett. Could you supervise the other Beaters' trials and take some notes for me?"

Jessamine glanced at the waiting applicants and swallowed. "I'll do my best."

"Thank you very much. You're the best."

"Is this the only drill you want me to do with them?"

Tyriana nodded. "Make them do it over and over if you have to until it's clear who the best two applicants are."

Clutching the clipboard, Jessamine hopped on her broom and flew over to the waiting Beaters.

"Let's go," Tyriana said, hefting her broom. For the sake of time, the three of them opted to fly up to the castle. She led the two boys to Professor McGonagall's office. Neither of them had been there before. She rapped smartly on the door at the top of the spiral staircase.

"Come in," Professor McGonagall called.

"Professor," Tyriana said. "I've been holding Quidditch tryouts all afternoon and I caught him drinking Felix Felices." She pointed to Beckett. "He admitted to it." She proceeded to lay out all of the evidence and, with Hugh's help, summarize how they'd gotten him to confess.

Professor McGonagall looked impressed. "Congratulations, Miss Gallagher. Not many students could successfully argue with someone under the influence of Liquid Luck. You were very wise to alter his goal from succeeding on the Quidditch field to minimizing his punishment so that the potion's effects would work with you, not against you. Fifteen points for Gryffindor."

"Thank you, Professor."

McGonagall turned to Hugh. "Mr. Addison, your choice to report Mr. Hicks was admirable and distinguishes you as a student of great character. Ten points for Gryffindor."

"Thank you, Professor."

"You may go."

Tyriana and Hugh turned to leave. Just before the door closed, she threw a glance over her shoulder. McGonagall was letting out a loud sigh as she faced Beckett who, so far, had spent most of the time in her office sheepishly staring at his own feet.

The door closed and Tyriana refocused her attention on the task at hand: concluding the tryouts. As she and Hugh hurried back to the Quidditch field, she thanked Hugh for having her back again. "I probably would have added Beckett to the roster if you hadn't told me."

"You would have figured out that something was up eventually," he said.

"By then it might've been too late to find and train a new Beater."

"True."

When they arrived at the Quidditch field, they saw that Jessamine seemed to be running the drill pretty effectively.

"She'd make a pretty good Captain for next year, I think," Hugh said.

Tyriana glanced at him. "You aren't going to go for it?"

He shrugged. "I'll take it if someone offers it to me but I don't know what I'd do other than imitate you."

Tyriana laughed. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

Jessamine was so busy watching one of the Beaters flying over her head that she didn't notice their arrival until Tyriana said, "Thanks for taking over."

"No problem. I hope my notes are helpful. I tried to think like you do."

"Everyone's trying to imitate me these days," Tyriana quipped and Hugh laughed. Jessamine didn't get the joke.

After taking some notes on the Beater who was currently in the air, Tyriana ordered the Bludgers be put away for a few moments while she read Jessamine's notes and caught up with what had happened while she was gone. Four of the six candidates had gone so far, and the results were all over the board. The notes were easy to decipher — Tyriana was sure to praise Jessamine for that — and they progressively got both more detailed and more efficient the further down the parchment she read. She quickly got an idea of who had potential and who was just wasting valuable time.

"Alright, time for the last two," she finally said. "Theo Lyons, you're up."

Theo turned in an impressive performance. He not only deflected every Bludger attack but also managed to send them flying far off their original course with every swing of his club. He was like a human Bludger-deflector. Tyriana hadn't seen the other candidates personally, but she was pretty sure that he was going to make the team.

"Alright, come on down!" she finally shouted. "Great job up there. Let's see who's next… Dylan, you're last but hopefully not least." He looked a bit confused, so she hastily explained, "That's a derivative of a Muggle expression. Just get on up there."

Dylan was alright, but she was never anywhere close to being as impressed as she had consistently been during Theo's performance.

She glanced at Jessamine's notes. Oscar had gone first, and what had been written on the clipboard gave her the impression that he could give Theo a run for his money. None of the other Beaters seemed worthy of a second shot, at least according to Jessamine's opinion. She was sure not to dismiss anyone, though, until she'd seen for herself. "Oscar, would you mind going again for me? Thanks."

Oscar Norton took off and Tyriana watched as he proceeded to unleash havoc on the Bludgers. One did get through his defense, but it was traveling at such an odd angle that any Quidditch player with an ounce of talent that he was defending would have been able to dodge it. The targets, of course, didn't have talent.

Tyriana asked Jessamine if that performance was consistent with his first and she nodded. "Alright, I've made my decision. Theo and Oscar, welcome to the team. To everybody else, thanks for coming out. I forgot to mention to the other groups that I may select some runner-ups as reserves. If you see any of the other applicants tell them about that for me."

"What happened to Beckett?" one of the candidates, whose name was Charles, asked.

"Hugh and I caught him cheating with Liquid Luck."

"I knew that there was something up with him. He seemed so nervous and then suddenly he wasn't," Alex piped in.

"Yeah, I was very confused why he was there," Benjamin agreed. "He's in my dorm and I've never seen someone with worse hand-eye coordination. If I saw him swinging a club I'd run the other direction even if he wasn't aiming for me."

A few of the guys chuckled.

"Well, thanks for coming out, everybody," Tyriana said. "Go ahead and grab your stuff and head back to the castle. Enjoy your dinner." She used levitation charms on the crate of Quidditch balls and the crate of targets and returned them to the locker room, where she quickly changed out of her Gryffindor Quidditch robes. When she came out, she was a bit surprised to see Jessamine holding the Firebolt Supreme with reverence in her eyes.

"You didn't steal this, did you?" she asked.

"Nope. I bought it. I'm going to be broke when I get out of here, but I've heard rumors that a few Quidditch teams are looking to add me to their roster as soon as I graduate. There's good money in Quidditch."

"You're kidding."

"Well, they're just rumors, but they have to come from somewhere."

"Good luck, Tyriana." Jessamine handed the broom over.

"Thanks. You too."

Tyriana mounted her broom and flew up to the castle's main entrance. Glancing into the Great Hall as she passed, she saw that dinner had been underway for at least five minutes. By the time she hid her broom and her notes in her room, slipped her hair out of its ponytail and ran back downstairs, she was fifteen minutes late.

"How was it?" Brielle exclaimed the moment she sat down.

All of her friends listened attentively as she summarized the highs and lows of her afternoon. They were stunned when she revealed how Beckett had tried to cheat.

"Serves him right," Siobhan said when Tyriana got to the part where he was left alone with the Headmistress. "I put it at 50/50 odds that he's been expelled."

"So you ended up with a good roster, at least?" Brielle asked.

"Yeah, the team's at least as strong as it was last year, and with the right training regimen I think we can take our game to the next level."

Her friends beamed. "I'm so happy for you," they chorused. "Gryffindor's going to kick Slytherin's ass this year."

Tyriana's voice was sore from yelling across the Quidditch pitch all afternoon. Her friends took mercy and didn't pressure her any further.

After dinner, she wearily trudged back up to the suite. Even after a week, she still wasn't used to seeing Hawkins relaxing in what had quickly become his favorite armchair. He wasn't alone; there was a Slytherin girl sitting on his lap who seemed to be making every effort to get intimate with him.

"Hey," Hawkins said, spotting Tyriana around the girl. "How were the tryouts?"

Tyriana put on a mask of pride. "Fantastic. You Slytherins are going to get your asses whooped this year."

'Why're you so tired, then?" he asked.

"There were a lot of applicants. It seems that a lot of people are eager to not just witness Slytherin's downfall but participate in it, too."

The Slytherin girl laughed. "Like that's going to happen."

"Excuse me? Gryffindor is going to beat Slytherin."

"And how's that been working out for you?" the girl asked.

Tyriana scowled. "I wouldn't be so overconfident if I were you. Slytherin only won the Quidditch Cup by ten points last year. You're not invincible."

"Is she always like this?" the Slytherin girl asked Hawkins, her nose wrinkling with disdain.

"Most of the time."

"I beg to differ." Tyriana stood straight and tall (or, at least, as tall as she was capable of being), her body language defiant.

The Slytherin girl stared at her. "I don't like your attitude, mudblood."

Tyriana was pretty sure that it was safe to say that her blood was not anywhere near the consistency nor filthiness of mud, as it was presently boiling with anger. According to muggle science, germs didn't survive in that kind of heat. "I don't think my blood status has anything to do with—"

The girl returned her glare and cut her off. "Oh, how it must feel to be born into a Muggle family and come here, to Hogwarts. What makes you worthy of any of this? Your mere presence here should satisfy you but, oh no, you feel a need to prove yourself, huh? To prove that you're more than a little mudblood girl. To prove that you have some talent that makes you special? Here's a dose of truth: you don't deserve anything but the dirt that—"

The Slytherin's rant was cut off as Tyriana's hands balled into fists. She started to stalk towards the girl, who looked to Hawkins for protection.

Hawkins looked thoroughly upset to find himself in this situation. Speaking to the girl, he said, "Zannah, I think it's time for you to leave."

She started to protest but he hauled her off his lap and guided her to the door. After pushing her into the hall and slamming the door, he turned to face Tyriana's wrath looking like he knew that he was a dead man walking.

"Mudblood? Are you kidding me?" she snarled.

He held up his hands in defense. "Hey, she said it, not me. I kicked her out."

Tyriana hesitated. "Why'd you do that?"

"What she said was offensive. Besides, I didn't want you to beat the shit out of her."

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"Why do you want to know that? Jealous?"

"Not in the slightest. I just want to know if she's going to be around here again."

"Well, for your information, she and I were just planning to shag. I couldn't care less about her; frankly I found her to be annoying, too."

Tyriana jumped back to her more pressing concerns. "Since when did you think all the 'purebloods are superior to mudbloods' rhetoric was annoying and offensive? As I recall, you—"

"—Are we back to this again?"

"Yes. Are you ready to talk?"

"Not when you're already this pissed off." Hawkins settled into his armchair. "Look, why don't you sit down and we can talk about something positive… like your Quidditch tryouts today. You said they went great?"

Tyriana reluctantly sat down. Over the past week she and Hawkins had managed to hold a half-dozen friendly conversations that lasted several minutes before inevitably devolving into bickering. Maybe their seventh attempt would end on a better note. "Yeah, they went pretty well. I had to deal with one cheater, but I was able to find some players with a lot of potential."

"A cheater? In Gryffindor?"

Tyriana told the Liquid Luck story again. Hawkins seemed thoroughly impressed when she got to the part where she convinced Beckett to confess.

"You must be holding back when you're arguing with me."

"Of course I am," she said, although this was absolutely a lie. She proceeded to finish the story. She also told Hawkins about Clover and Lydia. Every time Hawkins asked for more details about the players themselves, though, she balked. "I'm not giving you free information about my Quidditch team," she would say.

Eventually, Hawkins changed the subject. "Do you have a lot of homework tonight?"

"Oh, shit, I completely forgot!" Tyriana scrambled into her room to retrieve her textbooks, some parchment and a quill.

"You know that we have curfew patrol tonight, too," he called.

"Shit!" was her response.

"I'm fine with patrolling alone so that you can finish your homework," Hawkins offered.

She stopped and stared, dumbfounded at him. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. Look, it's not like both of us have to be there."

"Well, I never thought I'd say this to you but thanks."

"It's the least I can do," he said. "You look utterly exhausted and I feel pretty bad about what happened a few minutes ago."

"Who are you and what've you done with Hawkins?"

"Julian," he corrected.

"Hawkins,"

"Gallagher," he drawled, giving her his most infuriating smirk.

"Julian," she relented, dumping her homework on the table and trying to decide which assignment to drown in first. "Screw you."

He chuckled and went to retrieve one of his own homework assignments from his room. "Is this how you repay people who do you favors?" Plopping down into his armchair, he added, "You know, the real reason I don't want you coming along on patrol tonight is that I don't want you to fall asleep in the dungeons. I'd have to carry you up the stairs."

"Oh, chivalry! Boo-hoo!" she mocked.

Hawkins rolled his eyes. "Is that the best comeback that you can come up with?"

"Hardly," she said. "I'm really holding back."

"Bullshit."

She ignored that and tried to focus on her homework, but she couldn't help but reflect on how her conversations with Hawkins had changed over the past week. _Wow, I've already made it a week_. They seemed to have an unspoken agreement not to drive each other too insane; both suspected that life would become a living hell if they went too far.

By 9:30, she had most of her homework done. She offered to go on patrol, but Hawkins waved her off. "Get some sleep."


	7. Zannah

**Chapter 7**

 **Zannah**

 **September 10th, 2013**

Tyriana was starving when she awoke the next morning. She got ready quickly and then hurried down to breakfast. The divine smells of food wafted up the staircases as she descended, tantalizing her nose. When she arrived at the Great Hall, she recognized a few more faces at the Gryffindor table thanks to the previous day's Quidditch tryouts. She wanted to get to know her new players so she forewent sitting with her usual cluster of friends and instead approached Lydia, who was sitting with her own group of fifth year friends.

"Hi. Do you mind if I sit here?" Tyriana nodded to an open space next to Lydia.

"Go ahead," said the freshly appointed Keeper. "How are you?"

"Starving." Tyriana piled toast on her plate and started applying a generous helping of peanut butter and jam to each slice.

"I can see that," Lydia chuckled.

Tyriana glanced up at her new Keeper. Lydia was a foot taller, and a lot of that height came from her torso. She was easily the biggest of her friends. Tyriana had seen the previous day that Lydia had a lean and athletic build. Her raven black hair was long, smooth and sleek and her skin was pleasantly tan, indicating that she had spent a good amount of time outside. Her jaw had a pleasant heart shape and there was warmth in her brown eyes.

"You did great at the tryouts yesterday," Tyriana said.

"Thanks. I'm really excited to get started. When's our first practice?"

"I'm looking to book the Quidditch pitch early next week," she said. "I'd book it this week but the other houses have their tryouts. Hufflepuff's today, Ravenclaw tomorrow and Slytherin's Thursday."

"That leaves Friday open," Lydia pointed out.

"True. I'll see what I can do." Tyriana took a few bites of her toast. "Female Keepers are rather rare, you know. What got you interested in the position?"

Lydia considered the question. "Well, I played goalie in football as a kid — my parents are Muggles, you see — and I really liked it. When I got here I fell in love with Quidditch. I would've tried out in my second year but I didn't think I had enough experience on a broom. I couldn't practice over the holidays, so I practiced after classes when the Quidditch field wasn't booked. My friend Eva helped me by acting as a Chaser." Lydia pointed to one of her friends.

Eva blushed and waved.

"Then, this summer," Lydia continued, "I spend a month at her house and I was able to practice every day against her older brothers, who were in town. Really, I have Eva to thank for helping me become the Keeper. I'm sure she can tell you that I was singing her praises all last night. It was those practices against her brothers that convinced me that I was ready to try out."

"Wow," Tyriana said. "That's a great story. I can relate to some of it; I'm Muggleborn too. When I got here I felt like I had to prove myself and the only thing that felt right to me was flying on a broomstick. It was so difficult to find time to practice, though! Do you feel like there's a pressure on Muggleborns to make a name for themselves since they don't have a distinguished lineage to fall back on? I certainly do."

Lydia nodded vigorously. "I couldn't have said it better myself."

 _And that might be part of why Zannah seems to hate me_ , Tyriana thought. She patted her Keeper on the back. "We think so alike. We'll get along brilliantly, I think, and trust me when I say that you'll prove yourself on the Quidditch field. You're going to do great. Bloodlines don't really mean anything. As my friends put it last weekend, talent is talent."

Later, that day, Tyriana had hardly sat down with her friends for lunch when Brielle glanced down the table and said, "Uh oh. Beckett's coming."

Tyriana spun around and found herself looking up at him as he stopped next to her. He seemed a bit nervous and jumpy; the complete opposite of the person he'd been under the influence of Liquid Luck.

"Hey, uh, Tyriana?"

"What did McGonagall say?" She stood up so that the height difference between them wasn't quite so outrageous. She could sense her friends watching closely.

He grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, she didn't expel me, at least. I got a week of detention but you were right; it would have been a lot worse if I'd stuck to my plan. I guess I owe you a thank you and an apology."

She waved him off. "I appreciate the gesture. I'm curious, though: why did you spend six months of your life brewing Liquid Luck for _that_?"

He chuckled. "Well, first of all I didn't brew it. I bought it pre-made because I didn't trust my potions skills and I didn't have six months to spare when I conceived of the plan."

"I see."

"As for why, well I guess there's a few reasons." He sighed. "Truth be told, my hand-eye coordination is pretty awful and I've never found anything that I'm genuinely good at."

"So you were looking for a purpose and something people could know you for?"

"I suppose you could say that. People always tell me that I look like a Beater, so I guess I wanted to play the part, so to speak. And then, of course, there's finally beating Slytherin." He nodded up and down the line of Gryffindor students. "Everyone here wants to see that happen."

"You're damn right," she said. "We're going to massacre Slytherin this year. They won't know what hit them."

"Did you end up finding some good Beaters?"

"Yeah. If they're half as thirsty for Slytherin blood as I am then they'll do well."

Beckett chuckled. "You're beginning to push the line between competitive and murderous, I think."

She laughed. "I keep the Slytherin Head Boy in a constant state of fear."

Beckett squinted over at the Slytherin table. "He's their Seeker, isn't he?"

Tyriana nodded. "I can't wait to catch the Snitch in front of him."

"Assuming he makes the team in their tryouts on Thursday."

"True," she admitted. "I hadn't thought about it that way. Maybe he'll get kicked off the team. It'd be nice to see the arrogant smirk get wiped off his face."

He chuckled again. "Alright, well I've got to go. I'm sorry about yesterday and I'm glad to hear that the tryouts turned out well."

"Thanks. Bye, Beckett."

"Bye."

Tyriana sat back down with her friends. "No comment," she said before they could interrogate her.

"You're no fun," said Delaney.

"That's what every boy she's ever spoken to has told her," Alara giggled, earning herself a glare.

"Just because I don't flirt with every other sentence doesn't mean I'm no fun," Tyriana countered.

"Since when did you flirt with _anybody_?"

"Yeah. How's it going with Caden?" Alara asked.

"Uh… I haven't talked to him yet," she admitted.

Delaney groaned. "How do you expect anything to ever happen?"

"I don't expect anything to happen. Besides, the main reason I haven't talked to him is because I haven't run into him yet. How can I talk to someone I haven't seen?"

"Tyriana, he's forty feet away," Alara said, pointing down the Hufflepuff table. "For a Seeker, you're pretty blind."

"Oh, be quiet."

"Go talk to him right now," Delaney urged.

"And say what? 'Hi, my friends told me that we should shag!' Something like that?"

Her friends snorted with laughter. "You had better be joking."

"Of course I am. I wasn't actually going to say something that awful. It's about as ridiculous as this whole idea of yours, though."

"Say something about how you enjoyed meeting him on the train — be specific about whatever you actually did together — and suggest that you two hang out after class. Go on a walk down to the lake or something," Brielle suggested.

Reluctantly, Tyriana stood and started making her way down the aisle towards Caden. As she approached, he stood up with two of his friends and began making his way out of the hall. The three boys' long legs quickly left her in the dust. Tyriana didn't feel like scampering after them _and_ devising a way to separate Caden from his friends. They seemed to be engrossed in some kind of conversation anyways and she didn't want to rudely interrupt.

Feeling her friends' eyes on her, she shamefully returned to her seat.

"Seriously?" Delaney groaned. "That was lame."

Tyriana shrugged. "My heart wasn't really into it."

"It's a fling," Alara pointed out. "Feelings aren't required. He's hot, you're hot, you have some fun together with no strings attached. The end."

"Alright. Next time I see him I'll make a move," Tyriana conceded. She recognized that her body was pretty excited at the prospect of some action even though her brain wasn't. Maybe some meaningless fun was what she needed.

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"Hey, Tyriana?" Brielle said from across the table.

"Yeah?"

"There's a Slytherin girl giving you a death glare over there."

Tyriana turned to look. "That's Zannah. Hawkins invited her over last night to shag but she said the M word to me and he had to kick her out."

Her friends exchanged glances. "He must be pissed." Alara concluded.

"Actually, he didn't seem very mad at me."

"That's odd."

"Why did he kick her out if he was okay with saying the same things to you in second year?" Brielle wondered.

"He said he wanted to save her from getting beaten up by me and he keeps implying that he regrets calling me a Mudblood back then." Tyriana said.

"Did you ask him about that? Maybe if you two can talk about that a lot of the bad blood would disappear." Siobhan was always so reasonable.

"He's put that conversation off twice now."

"Why?"

Tyriana shrugged, "Last night he said he didn't want to discuss such a sensitive subject when I was already pissed off about Zannah."

"What's her deal?"

Tyriana shrugged. "She's probably just a spoiled pureblood. Who knows?" Glancing over at the Slytherin in question, she saw that the girl looked absolutely furious. "Other than the fact that I'm Muggleborn, I only have a few ideas. I wasn't that nice to Hawkins at first when I got back last night and I dissed Slytherin a few times. She was yelling at me about not deserving anything that I have. Maybe I make her insecure about her own sense of superiority?"

Having already classified Zannah as an enemy, Tyriana decided that it couldn't hurt to play some mind games. She flashed a smile and a wink in the direction of the Slytherin table.

"Careful, Tyriana. She looks murderous," Brielle said.

She chuckled. "And what's Zannah going to do about it? Scream at me? Throw her makeup? The moment I walked towards her yesterday with my hands balled into fists she tried to hide behind Hawkins. I'm not scared of her."

"Just keep an eye out. She doesn't have to be in your face to hex you." Siobhan pointed out.

"Don't worry. I'll be careful."

Tyriana sat through her afternoon classes, the last of which she shared with Brielle. Her friend asked to see the Head Boy/Girl residence after class, and she agreed.

They had just finished climbing a staircase on their way to the fifth floor when a familiar voice behind Tyriana compelled her to turn around. Brielle hastily followed suite.

Zannah was stalking up the stairs towards them, flanked by two very large and mean looking Slytherin girls who appeared to be twins.

Brielle swallowed. "Should we… um… run?"

Before Tyriana could respond, Zannah yelled a string of insults that included the words "Mudblood," "bitch," "worthless," and "midget" about as frequently as the Slytherin girl could possibly grammatically incorporate them.

The other students in the corridor and on the stairs had frozen, watching the confrontation. A few scrambled out of the way as Zannah reached the top of the stairs and stepped up to face Tyriana, her huge friends flanking her like bodyguards. Zannah had about seven or eight inches of height on Tyriana, but she wasn't intimidated. The other two Slytherin girls were more worrisome.

Tyriana did her best to keep her expression neutral — her parents would have called it her poker face — as Zannah continued to insult her blood status, height, skills on the Quidditch field, and desire to prove herself. She figured, as Head Girl, it was her responsibility to set a good example for her peers. Punching Zannah was hardly appropriate, although her fist was itching to make solid contact with the Slytherin's face.

Zannah's cheeks were bright red and spittle was flying from her mouth as she seemed to have an enraged meltdown. She was now shouting something about teaching Tyriana a lesson and sending her back to the stupid Muggle family from whence she came. Tyriana's refusal to react seemed to only drive Zannah further over the edge. "Say something!" she finally screamed.

Forcing herself to display an unperturbed demeanor, Tyriana asked, "Are you done? I hope so, because if you say one more derogatory thing to me I won't hesitate to take fifty points from Slytherin."

If it was possible, Zannah's face contorted further with rage. She gave Tyriana a firm shove into Brielle, and both of them staggered.

If Zannah's burly friends hadn't been present Tyriana doubted that the Slytherin girl would have been willing to get physical, despite her height, reach and weight advantage. She didn't seem like the type to get her hands dirty. Tyriana, on the other hand, was happy to.

She lunged forward, ducking low and slamming her shoulder into Zannah's gut. She powered forward, pushing the Slytherin girl past her two massive goons and towards the yawning staircase. Tyriana stopped just short of the top and let momentum send a startled Zannah tumbling down the stone steps in a tangle of flailing limbs.

She didn't stop to savor the look of terror on the Slytherin girl's face since the two bigger girls were the real threat. Turning, she saw both had turned and were now advancing towards her. Tyriana knew that she now had the staircase to her back; this was a perilous position to be in. While the Slytherin goons' backs were turned, Brielle pulled a textbook out of her bag and charged to attack them from behind.

One of the big girls squinted, her piglike eyes noticing that Tyriana was looking just past her. She turned and saw Brielle approaching. Her meaty fist slapped the book out of Brielle's hand.

Tyriana didn't get to see much more since the other girl was practically on top of her at this point. Her parents had given her enough training that she knew how to defend herself. Tyriana ducked a sweeping punch and tried throwing a front kick into her opponent's gut.

The strike landed and the heavyset girl grunted but didn't falter. Her pudgy hands clamped around Tyriana's shoulders and threw her bodily against the stone wall.

Tyriana caught herself with her hands and successfully softened most of the impact but, while she was distracted, she couldn't stop her opponent from landing a heavy-handed punch across her face. Tasting blood, she used her short height and agility to her advantage as she ducked under the hulking Slytherin's next strike and danced out of reach.

A quick glance showed her that the other Slytherin had knocked Brielle to the ground. Seeing that her own opponent was only just now turning around to face her, Tyriana used the opening to rush to her friend's aid. As Brielle's assailant bent over to continue her attack, Tyriana came out of nowhere and punted her in the face.

Tyriana was rewarded with a _crunch_ , a shriek of pain and a splatter of blood. Brielle's attacker reeled, clutching her face and staggering away. For all of her size and brawn, she couldn't take a kick to the nose.

Tyriana turned to face her original opponent and immediately realized that she was in trouble. The huge Slytherin girl was charging like a bull, rapidly closing the short distance between them. Most people wouldn't have had enough time to react but Tyriana's Seeker reflexes saved her — mostly.

She dived left, but the Slytherin's leg clipped her trailing feet. Tyriana's body was so light that she was spun by the force of the impact and she landed hard on the stone floor in a disoriented tangle of limbs.

On autopilot at this point, Tyriana scrambled to her feet. The Slytherin girl had barely avoided tripping over Brielle after mostly missing Tyriana. She'd stopped herself before running into the wall just beyond and was now bearing down on Tyriana again.

Brielle was rolling away, reaching for something in her robes.

Tyriana didn't have enough time to escape this time. She braced herself for what she knew was going to be a devastating hit.

" _Petrificus Totalis_!" That was Brielle's voice.

The monstrous Slytherin's body froze, but momentum was momentum. She plowed into Tyriana like a freight train.

Tyriana's whole body folded around the primary point of impact in her abdomen. She hit the ground hard, and was immediately crushed by the weight of the frozen assailant, who was at least twice as heavy as she was.

She tried to breathe — for some reason her body was telling her that breathing would relieve the pain in her belly and her tailbone (the latter being where she'd taken the brunt of the impact with the stone floor) but the weight on top of her was too much and the pain was too great. There was something sharp digging into her stomach that felt like an elbow.

Suddenly, the paralyzed body was heaved off of her and she saw the light of day again. She sucked in a desperate breath of oxygen. Her instincts were wrong (breathing hurt terribly) but she knew that she had to do it.

Her eyes focused on the towering figure who'd saved her from suffocating underneath her massive assailant. It was Caden.

"What the bloody hell were you doing, just standing and watching?" he was yelling at the bystanders. "No one thought to use their wands?"

Many of the onlookers, who were mostly second, third, and fourth years, looked sheepishly at their feet.

Caden knelt down next to Tyriana and was joined a few seconds later by Brielle, who had a bloody scratch above her eyebrow but otherwise seemed fine.

"Are you okay?" They both asked her almost simultaneously.

Tyriana tried to speak but could only cough. Her whole torso hurt. She wondered if her ribs were broken.

"We should take her to the hospital wing," Brielle panted,

"I've got her," Caden said, scooping Tyriana up in his arms. As he carried her down the stairs, she saw Zannah lying at the bottom, clutching the pieces of her snapped wand. Blood was fountaining from her nose but the Slytherin's sole focus was on the splinters of wood cradled in her hands.

As Caden carried Tyriana to the hospital wing, she had a number of thoughts. For one, this was not the way she wanted to be seen by her peers. She fully expected that she'd be teased for looking like a broken doll in Caden's arms when she was released from the infirmary. For another, this was not how she'd intended to meet Caden again. It was hardly the time for seduction, although she was enjoying the expression of concern on his face and the feeling of safety she got from how carefully he was carrying her. She hoped her promise to her friends that she'd pursue him the next time she saw him didn't apply under these circumstances because she was not feeling up to it.

Breathing was becoming a bit easier, thankfully, and the moment she could do more than croak she gasped, "Fifty points from Slytherin, five points from Gryffindor."

"What're the five points from Gryffindor for?" Caden asked.

Tyriana nodded in Brielle's direction. "No magic in the corridors."

"But I saved your ass with that spell!" Brielle protested. "Are you seriously going to—"

"—I am. I did. And my ass hurts pretty bloody bad even with your 'saving.'"

Brielle changed the subject. "Um, what's our story for what happened? I don't think the Head Girl getting in a fist fight is going to ingratiate you to the staff, Tyriana."

"They made extremely derogatory remarks, made us fear for our safety, and attacked first. The story is that we were defending ourselves. Paint it in a respectable light." Every word hurt to say.

"What about Zannah's motive?"

"I have no idea what's going through her psycho head. Tell the teachers the story I told you at lunch. That's what happened last night… Oh, and Brielle?"

"Yes?"

"Am I off the hook this time?"

"For what?"

"That promise I made at lunch."

"Oh, _that_ promise." Brielle smiled wickedly. "No, I think not."

"Bloody hell," Tyriana groaned. "Why?"

"That's what you get for punishing someone who just helped you."

Caden broke his silence, entirely oblivious to the true nature of the conversation. "What in the world are you girls talking about?"

Brielle snickered. "Tell him, Tyriana."

"Screw you, Brielle. This is not the right time. _At_ _least_ wait until he's not carrying me like a sack of flour."

"Wait, this promise has to do with me?" Tyriana could almost see Caden's brain working, putting the puzzle together. _Why am I surprised that he's at least decently smart_? _He's a prefect, for Merlin's sake, so his grades have to be good._

"Yes, it does," Brielle said before Tyriana could deny everything.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Tyriana bit the bullet. "I really appreciated how you helped me on the train. Even small gestures can mean a lot, you know."

Brielle's expression was priceless. She was beaming, her eyes urging Tyriana on. She seemed oblivious to the fact that the way her eyebrows were up was causing fresh blood to seep from the scratch on her forehead.

"What're you saying?" Caden asked.

"Well, um, I was thinking that we should hang out sometime and get to know each other."

Some kind of satisfaction flared in his eyes for a brief instant but, before Tyriana could read more into it, it was gone. "Sure," he said. "But how does this relate to this promise you made?"

"She promised that she'd ask you out the next time she saw you," Brielle explained.

"This is not how I wanted it to go," Tyriana groaned. "I shouldn't have hesitated at lunch."

They were giving Caden a lot of information pretty fast, and decent amount of it was implied, but he caught on pretty fast. "So this is the romantic kind of hang out, huh?"

"The sexy kind, actually," Brielle sniggered.

"Hey! This is about us, not you," Tyriana growled. "We'll do whatever we want to do, thank you very much." She was a bit alarmed to find herself referring to Caden and herself as if they were together. She hardly knew him, after all. _How did I end up in this situation_? _Hopefully I'll get to know Caden a bit better soon. As much as Brielle seems to want this to be all about sex, I'm still looking for someone to be more than just a casual fling. So far, Caden seems like a pretty nice guy. Maybe he's the one?_ The thought of dating him certainly wasn't unpleasant.


	8. Aftermath

**A/N** : I greatly appreciate the positivity in the reviews that I have received so far. I've seen a few questions so I'd like to provide some clarifications here. Scroll down to skip to today's chapter.

1\. The Gryffindor Quidditch team did score more than once with the Quaffle last season. I may have been a bit unclear about what happened in the preceding Quidditch season, as I myself hadn't decided what exactly happened when I wrote the currently posted chapters. Initially I had written both that Gryffindor lost against Slytherin by 10 (one score with the Quaffle) and that they also lost the Cup by 10. This would mean that Gryffindor and Slytherin's scores in each of their respective matches against Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw would have had to both add up to the exact same number, which is highly unlikely. To dig myself out of this hole I had created, I decided to not specify that Gryffindor lost by exactly 10 to Slytherin. They must have lost by 20 or more. This means that their scores later in the season against Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were higher than Slytherin's, allowing them to catch back up in the standings and resulting in Gryffindor being only 10 points short at the end of the school year. It is implied that at least some of Gryffindor's points came from scores with the Quaffle; I don't think Tyriana would have kept Hugh and Jessamine on the team if they were incompetent Chasers. Anyways, one of Tyriana's many flaws is her tendency to impulsively catch the Snitch as soon as soon as she sees it without checking to make sure that it's the right move for the team. I think that she wants to succeed and prove herself on a personal level just as much as she wants Gryffindor to win. In the first match against Slytherin last year, she caught the Snitch even though her team was more than 160 points down, resulting in the aforementioned loss by 20 or more. Gryffindor did win their second and third matches against Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, though. Tyriana captured the Snitch in near record time in the latter match, but the Chasers hadn't scored enough points yet with the Quaffle for Gryffindor's season total to tie the Slytherin's. Thus Slytherin won the Quidditch Cup by 10. Tyriana essentially made the same mistake twice in different ways and it cost her team the Quidditch Cup. Hooray for flawed and impulsive protagonists!

2\. In Chapter 1 Julian said that Slytherin won the House Cup the previous year when he should have said the Quidditch Cup. That was a mistake on my part and it has now been fixed. As J.K. Rowling has not clearly explained how houses' scores on the Quidditch field translate into points towards the House Cup, I've decided to mostly ignore that trophy in _Rivalry_. In fact, this very chapter is the only one that mentions it now. Tyriana is entirely focused on the Quidditch Cup, as the Quidditch field is where she perceives that she can have the greatest impact, and that's where _Rivalry_ also focuses. While Slytherin has won the Quidditch Cup for the past nine years, that doesn't necessarily guarantee that they've also won the House Cup. Whether or not they did doesn't make much of a difference from Tyriana's perspective and thus it wasn't a detail I felt obligated to establish.

Side note: While I just wrote that Tyriana believes that she can primarily make an impact on the Quidditch field, her new position as Head Girl does give her significant influence over the House Cup as well. Since she has been taking points away from Slytherin left and right, it's a pretty safe bet that Slytherin won't be winning the House Cup this year. You'll have to read more to find out what happens to the Quidditch Cup… ;-)

I hope that clears things up and I apologize for the confusion. Now back to the story:

 **Chapter 8**

 **Aftermath**

 **September 10th, 2013**

Brielle opened the doors to the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey looked up. "Set her down on that bed. What happened?"

"Long story short, some Slytherin's attacked us. I've just got some bruises; Tyriana took all of the hard hits," Brielle said,

Caden gently lay Tyriana down on the designated bed. "Maybe we can arrange something this weekend?" he said hopefully.

"Sure."

"Next time we meet we can go over the specifics. I'm afraid I've got to go." Seeing her inquisitive look, he grinned and said, "Hufflepuff Quidditch tryouts."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. I originally wasn't going to try out because I thought being a prefect would be enough work but then I figured that if you can be a Quidditch Captain _and_ Head Girl then there wasn't anything to stop me from trying."

"What position?"

"Keeper."

She nodded. "Good luck, then."

"Thanks. I'm going to need it. Bye!" He gave her a brief wave and hurried out of the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey came up to Tyriana's bedside, having opted to get healing Brielle's scratches and bruises over with quickly using simple healing spells during the preceding conversation. "What hurts, dear?"

"I got punched in the face and tasted blood. I don't think I lost any teeth, though. Um, the worst pain is in my belly. I got run over by a girl who was, like, at least twice my weight. Then I fell on my tailbone and she landed elbow-first on top of me. Breathing was really difficult at first. It's getting better, but pretty much the whole front and back of my torso hurts."

"No other head injuries?"

"I think my head hit the floor when I fell but it barely hurts compared to everything else."

Madam Pomfrey drew up some curtains around the bed. "I'm afraid that I'm going to need to inspect your front and back to see what you might have injured."

Tyriana nodded consent. She was very thankful that the school nurse was female as she, with some assistance, undressed down to her underwear and followed all of Madam Pomfrey's instructions.

Finally, the nurse told her that, while all of her ribs were intact, she seemed to have some significant external and internal bruising. "I have some potions that will ease the pain and accelerate your healing."

"How long?" In the background, Tyriana heard the doors to the hospital wing opening, although she paid this little mind.

"I don't think you'll miss dinner tonight."

Before Tyriana could express her relief that she wouldn't be spending days in bed, Brielle's raised voice on the other side of the curtain drew both of their attention.

"YOU MAKE ONE MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION AND I WILL HEX YOU!"

Madam Pomfrey stepped through the curtain, holding up her own wand just in case the new entrant was as dangerous as Brielle's warning implicated. Tyriana was still in her underwear, and she tried her best to at least put her jeans back on just in case a gap in the curtains appeared. She listened to the conversation outside.

"Madam Pomfrey, these are the girls who attacked us," Brielle was saying.

"I see," the nurse said quietly. "Lower your wands, girls."

By that, Tyriana assumed that she was referring to Brielle and the two big Slytherin girls, since Zannah's wand was now broken.

"That's better. Miss Harrington, I suggest that you leave."

"I'm not leaving Tyriana alone with _them_ ," Brielle replied.

"Miss Gallagher will be very safe in my care," said Madam Pomfrey stiffly, as if she took the implication that her infirmary wasn't safe to be a personal insult.

Tyriana heard Briana leave. She listened as the Slytherin girls were cared for on the other side of the room. She was a little disappointed to hear that Zannah hadn't lost a critical amount of blood. She also heard Madam Pomfrey erect some kind of charm, which the nurse told the Slytherins would prevent them from getting to Tyriana and vice-versa. Clearly the nurse had treated nemeses in the same room before.

A few minutes later, Madam Pomfrey rapped on the curtains. "May I come in?"

"Yes."

The nurse had two potions with her. The first would accelerate the healing of Tyriana's injuries. The other would lessen her pain, which she was thankful for after drinking the first since it only made her torso ache more. Then, having downed both potions, she was advised by the nurse to get some rest.

Tyriana was reluctant to sleep with her bloodthirsty enemies in such close proximity but she trusted the barrier charm and she knew that rest and relaxation would help her body heal. She'd been in the hospital wing a few times for Quidditch-related injuries, nearly all of which had come at the nonexistent hands of Bludgers.

Hardly three minutes later, she was fast asleep.

Tyriana awoke to Madam Pomfrey knocking on the curtains again.

"May I come in?"

"Yes. I'm feeling much better."

"Good. I need to check your injuries."

A few minutes later, the nurse informed her that she was almost entirely healed. "Dinner starts in a few minutes, so I'm going to let you go. Take it easy, though, for the next few hours."

Tyriana nodded and thanked Madam Pomfrey for her care. The nurse waited until she was dressed and then withdrew the curtains. Tyriana saw that this was merely out of courtesy; the hospital wing was empty. The area where she'd heard Zannah and her friends being treated was empty.

Seeing Tyriana looking, Madam Pomfrey said, "I've gotten very good at resetting and healing broken noses."

 _I almost wish I'd left some kind of permanent mark on her,_ Tyriana thought. _Something that she could remember me by._ _Of course, her wand is broken now, so that's a plus._

Tyriana's robes were a bit bloody so she hurried to her room, changed, washed her hands, and hurried to dinner. _So much for taking it easy_ , she thought as she raced down the stairs. _At least I'm only using my legs. Shouldn't be a problem_.

Brielle must've told her friends everything because they were very thankful to see her looking healthy. As she took her seat, she glanced across the room at the Slytherin table. Zannah was there, of course, but her eyes were on her plate and her body language seemed more depressed than angry. Her thuggish friends were flanking her like bodyguards, although they didn't seem quite as smug now. Tyriana's eyes passed over Hawkins. He gave her a nod. She wasn't sure how exactly she was supposed to interpret that. Was it a greeting? A gesture of respect? A thank you, perhaps? The latter seemed unlikely. She couldn't help but wonder what he would possibly want to thank her for.

"Slytherin is in last place for the House Cup," Siobhan gloated. "They literally have zero points. They'd probably be negative, if that's even possible. Gryffindor's in second place still."

"Fantastic."

Alara and Delaney seemed to be bursting with questions about Caden but Brielle held them at bay. "Let her eat. She just be starving." Tyriana gave her a nod of thanks — she felt like the meaning of the gesture was a lot clearer given that, unlike Hawkins' nod, hers had context. Whatever was going through his head when he'd nodded in her direction was a mystery.

A shadow fell over her about ten minutes after she arrived. She turned and looked up. It was Caden.

"Hey, Tyriana. Are you doing alright?"

"Yeah, I'm almost back to a hundred percent." There was an empty spot next to her, and she patted it. "Sit down for a sec."

Tyriana sensed her friends beaming as he settled on the bench. "How was the tryout?"

"Good," he said. "I was a little rusty but they made me the reserve Keeper."

She grinned in spite of herself. "Congratulations. I'll have my Beaters accidently hit the main roster Keeper with some Bludgers so that you get some play time during our match."

He laughed. "You're kidding, I hope?"

"You bet. Um, didn't you say something earlier about making arrangements for this weekend?"

"Yeah. I'm free all weekend so I'm down to spend time with you whenever."

Tyriana considered her options. Alara was mouthing something to her: _Room of Requirement_. At first she diminished the idea, but then it occurred to her that she didn't have to use it in the same way that Alara and Delaney did. In fact, she thought that she should make a point of using it for a nobler purpose so that the potential of the space wasn't _always_ squandered. "I have a great idea," she told Caden. "How about you meet me at 11:30 on Saturday outside my room? It's right next to the Prefect's Bathroom."

"Sure. Judging by the time I presume your idea includes lunch?"

Tyriana grinned. "It does."

"Alright. See you then."

"Bye."

Caden returned to his seat at the Hufflepuff table a little ways down the aisle.

Tyriana turned back to her friends, who were giddy with delight. "What's this plan of yours?" Delaney asked.

"It's a secret," she said mischievously.

Ten minutes later, she found herself leaving the Great Hall with her friends in tow. Having never actually gotten around to showing Brielle her room due to the incident with Zannah, Tyriana had invited her again. Siobhan, Alara and Delaney had also wanted to visit, so they were now coming along, too. Frankly, Tyriana was a bit surprised that she hadn't gotten around to showing her friends the suite just yet. She supposed that she was so used to only hanging out with them in the Gryffindor Common Room, the Great Hall, and classes that it hadn't occurred to her.

"Meruit gratiam," she said when they reached her door. It opened and she led her friends inside. Hawkins wasn't there, so Tyriana deduced that he was still at dinner.

"Wow, this is cozy," Siobhan was saying. "It reminds me a lot of the Gryffindor Common Room." She sat down in one of the armchairs.

"Hawkins will kill you if he finds out that you sat in _his_ armchair."

Siobhan stood up immediately, looking at it from a new and less pleasing perspective. "He claimed this chair? What a manly thing to do."

"Well, he didn't claim it, but he does always choose that seat whenever he's in this room."

Delaney was peering through Hawkins' door, which he'd left open.

"Delaney," Tyriana warned.

"What?"

"Please stay out of his room."

"Why? Besides, I wasn't _in_ his room."

"If he'd brought his friends over, I wouldn't want them snooping around my room. And, at this point, you're leaning so far over the threshold that you might as well be standing in it."

"You say that you hate the guy, but now you're defending his privacy?"

"Treat others as you wish to be treated," Tyriana rationalized.

"That must be a Muggle saying." Delaney reluctantly withdrew from the doorway.

The girls stayed for about ten minutes, at which point (as if she was reading Tyriana's mind) Brielle said, "Well, I'm sure Tyriana's got a lot of homework to catch up on after the last two days. We should probably get going." After her friends were gone, Tyriana got started on her homework. She finished around 9:15 and looked around, having just realized that Hawkins had never come back from dinner. Where was he? Come to think of it, the only time she'd seen him all day was from across the Great Hall at dinner when he'd given her that mysterious nod.

It wasn't until 9:27, at which point she was getting ready to patrol on her own, that he came in. He was a bit out of breath and didn't look very happy.

"What's going on?" she asked as he hurried past her to his room, where he replaced his school robes with a sweatshirt.

"Zannah dragged me down to the Slytherin Common Room after dinner. She was distraught, delirious, raving and generally having a bloody breakdown."

Tyriana was rather glad that she'd affected her enemy so deeply but she found herself wishing that he hadn't had to deal with the aftermath. _What has gotten into me_? Refocusing on him, she asked, "was it because of me or because of her wand?"

"Both. Come on, let's get this patrol over with." As they lit their wands and started down the hall, he added, "Not that I blame you. She's always been mental."

"If you don't like her then why'd you have her over last night?"

"She's been flirting with me for ages; I thought she might stop if I gave her what she wanted. As psychotic as she is, she's kinda cute so I thought I'd give her a quick, no-strings-attached shag and the whole thing would be over. When you arrived I was beginning to realize that, for one, she wasn't going to drop it after we finished and, for another, she had actual feelings for me. So, in a way, you kind of saved me from that mess."

Tyriana was starting to understand Zannah's motivations. "She's still under the impression that you owe her some shagging, huh?"

"And she wants a whole bunch of cliché, sappy romance, too. Especially now that she's had 'the worst bloody day ever.'"

Tyriana laughed.

"Of course, her day wasn't made better by the fact that most of the Slytherins were glaring at her the entire time she was in the Common Room. They know that she lost us those fifty points and they think she's not only embarrassed Slytherin but also jeopardized our chances of winning the House Cup."

"Serves her right," Tyriana muttered.

"She got what she deserved," he agreed, "But it made my night absolutely awful."

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I'd offer to push her down the stairs again but I don't think that would help."

He chuckled dryly. "I think you did a good enough job the first time. You're a little scary, sometimes. You know that, right?"

"Of course I know that, Hawkins."

"Will we ever get on a first name basis?" he wondered aloud.

"Have you gotten tired of calling me Gallagher?"

"Have you gotten tired of calling me Hawkins?" he countered.

She bared her jaw proudly. "Nope."


	9. Caden

**A/N** : This chapter was one of the reasons that the story was originally rated M. I have cut the more inappropriate parts of the scene down while preserving details that are important to the plot. Hopefully the result fits into the T rating but isn't too vague. ;-)

 **Chapter 9**

 **Caden**

 **September 14th, 2013**

"Seriously? You need to wear something better than that," Alara said, eying Tyriana's white tank-top and denim short-shorts.

"It's not that bad," Brielle countered. "She looks gorgeous."

"At least wear a blouse," Delaney argued.

"I'm going to wear what I want to wear," Tyriana said. "I feel comfortable in this. Besides, he's already seen me in a blouse."

"But—"

"—She looks hot as hell in that top. Let her wear it," Siobhan said.

Tyriana had to agree that she looked good as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. The tank-top was tight in all of the right places and emphasized the contrast between her flat, toned stomach and her breasts, which were the only part of her body that was average size. She wasn't usually one to show them off but this was a special occasion.

She thought ahead to her plans with Caden, which were still under wraps. Her initial idea had been a bit questionable, as it was based largely on a hunch about the Room of Requirement, so she'd invented a backup plan. Then, before breakfast that morning, she'd had the brilliant (yet obvious) idea to do a trial run. Thankfully, it had been successful and she was now feeling much more confident about her main plan.

The door to the suite opened and Hawkins entered, one of his Slytherin friends in tow. Her friends turned to look out the door of her room, eying the boys suspiciously.

"What's going on?" Hawkins asked.

"We're getting her ready for a date," Alara said.

"With who?"

"None of your business," Brielle snapped.

Siobhan closed Tyriana's door before Hawkins could ask any more questions.

"Makeup time," Delaney exclaimed.

Tyriana glanced at her watch. "I can do my own makeup. Look, I have to be out the door in five minutes."

"I thought you said it was at 11:30," Alara said.

"It is, but I need to go get something first. It's part of my secret plan."

"Alright," Brielle said, shooing a reluctant Alara and Delaney out the door with Siobhan's help. "Tell us how it went at dinner."

"Of course."

When her friends were gone, Tyriana rushed to the bathroom and quickly applied some subtle makeup. Satisfied, she slid her feet into a pair of sandals, grabbed a few towels and a tote bag and hurried down to the kitchens below the Great Hall. She'd been down there enough times that the house elves recognized her and immediately began offering her leftovers from breakfast. She told them that she needed food for a picnic: a few different types of sandwiches and some side dishes. After they gave her such items she cast a charm on the interior of the bag that would keep everything cool. Thanking the elves profusely and promising to return soon, she hurried back upstairs.

Caden was already leaning against the wall opposite the door to the Head Boy/Girl suite. His attention was focused on the door, where he reasonably expected her to appear, so he didn't notice her approaching until she announced her presence.

"Hi, Caden."

"Oh, hey." His eyes dipped from her face to check out her outfit. "Whoa. You look gorgeous."

She blushed a bit. "Thanks."

"So, are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"No. You're going to have to come with me and find out."

"Alright."

She took him up the seventh floor and the blank wall that disguised the Room of Requirement.

"Um… it's a… very nice wall," he said skeptically when they stopped in front of it.

"Stand back a bit." Tyriana paced past the wall three times, picturing a specific park in the English countryside that she'd visited in her youth with as much vivid detail as possible.

The door appeared.

"Whoa," Caden said. "What is that?"

"The entrance to the Room of Requirement," Tyriana said, peeking inside just in case it hadn't transformed into what she'd hoped. The door opened to a grassy field that sloped down to a small but beautiful blue lake. The sun was high in the sky and the sounds of chirping birds flitted through the air. The scent of spring filled her nostrils. Trees were scattered around the landscape, casting pleasant islands of shade.

She opened the door wider and they both entered. Caden seemed too stunned by what he was seeing to speak. Finally, he said, "Where are we? Is that door a portal or something?"

"No," she said, amused by his reaction. "We're still in Hogwarts. I asked the Room of Requirement to create a replica of a park I frequented as a kid."

"It's beautiful and incredibly realistic. There's a breeze and everything!"

She laughed. "I'd hoped that you'd enjoy this. Come with me." She led him towards the lake. "This is a good spot." She unfolded a few of the towels on the ground and sat down. He sat next to her and she passed him the tote bag. "I hope you like sandwiches. I got a few different kinds from the kitchen."

"You know how to get to the kitchens?"

She nodded.

"Where is it?" He'd selected one of the sandwiches and passed the bag to her with his free hand.

"Well, you're a Hufflepuff so the kitchens are right under your nose." Grinning mischievously, she selected her own sandwich.

Caden looked a little confused by that. "Is that all you're going to tell me?"

"I'd feel like an irresponsible Head Girl if I told you where something that's supposed to be secret was."

"Hmmm. How is it being Head Girl?"

"It's fine. I'm getting less and less busy by the day. These days all I have to do is keep an eye out for troublemakers and patrol the corridors every night."

"Doesn't sound that bad."

"Yeah. The living accommodations are nice but it's a little lonely. I spend a lot of time in the Gryffindor Common Room. I suppose it would be better if I got along a bit better with the Head Boy."

"That's Julian Hawkins, isn't it?"

"Yeah. He's pretty annoying most of the time, but there's brief periods where he's actually pretty nice. I can't figure out what's up with him."

"Well, I wish you luck with that. Frankly, I'm pretty amazed that you're still sane. There's a reason most students from the other houses don't associate with Slytherins."

Tyriana nodded. "Let's not talk about them. I want to get to know you. Tell me something."

"Well, uh, my Dad's a wizard. My Mom's a Muggle."

"Must've been a shock when he told her."

He nodded, grinning as he recalled some related memory. "So I hear. She almost broke up with him. She likes to use that as a bargaining chip sometimes by threatening to hold to her original instincts. What about your parents?"

"They're both Muggles."

"What do they do?"

She told him about her parents' gym.

"Ah. That's cool," he said. "I've always had a soft spot for gyms."

"Because they give you hard spots?" she quipped.

They shared a good laugh at that. "I guess," he said. "There's something about working really hard to improve oneself, you know? It's pretty addicting."

She nodded. "I've seen that firsthand." She had read articles on the Muggle internet about how some men channeled their masculinity by thinking of their bodies as a tool to be perfected. By virtue of her parents' gym, she'd witnessed these values being embodied in the real world.

"You haven't experienced it, though?"

She shrugged. "I have, I suppose, although I don't think I'm approaching it in quite the same way. I've always prefered yoga to weight-lifting. I just want to be lean and fit. I'm not aiming for bulging muscles or physical perfection."

"Well, you're doing a good job," he said. His hand drifted down the arm she was using to support herself as she sat. Tyriana expected him to make some clichéd remark about how perfect she was — she was well aware that her word choice had left him a clear opportunity to re-apply the word to her — but he didn't. His fingertips trailed down her wrist and he cupped his hand over hers.

She glanced down at the contact, her heart beating a little faster. Her hand was dwarfed by his to the point that she couldn't even see it anymore.

Caden lay back, staring up at the sky. "It's a beautiful day."

"It is. I wish more Quidditch matches were played in weather like this."

"That would be nice. How's the Gryffindor team doing?"

"Good. I can't tell you much more now that you're Hufflepuff's reserve Keeper."

"But you can tell me other things about Quidditch. What got you started?"

Tyriana lay back too. "Well, I loved sports before I even knew I was a witch. Then I came to Hogwarts and discovered that I was pretty mediocre at everything except for flying. The moment I hopped on a broom for the first time I knew that I was meant to be there. It just felt right, and I'll remember forever when Madam Hooch told me that I was a natural. I'd never been so proud of myself. I mean, here I was in a magical world that I was entirely unfamiliar with and I _finally_ knew what I was good at. I went down to the Quidditch field to watch the Gryffindor tryouts in my first year so that I'd know what to expect when I was able to try out in my second. Then I practiced whenever I could on the school brooms and devoured books like _Quidditch Through the Ages_."

Caden laughed. "I can picture that. So you tried out in your second year?"

"Yep. I was terrified, though, since I hadn't been able to practice over the summer and I really wanted to prove myself. One of my friends had a Nimbus 2001 and I convinced him to loan it to me so that I wouldn't have to ride one of those shitty school brooms during tryouts."

"Did you make the team?"

She nodded. "The Captain was very impressed with me. I beat out a sixth year who'd been their Seeker for the past two years. That's another one of the proudest moments of my life."

"That's awesome," he said.

Tyriana nodded. "I certainly felt so. I've been on the team ever since and I became Captain last year. What about you?"

Caden chuckled softly. "My story's not quite as exciting as yours."

She rolled onto her side, facing him. "I want to hear it anyways."

"What's there to say?" he shrugged. "I lived in a Muggle suburb but I had some wizarding friends in the country and we'd mess around on broomsticks when we could. As we got older we went from just chasing each other around to playing 3v3 Quidditch with two Chasers and a Keeper on each team. That's when I discovered that I was actually pretty decent at Keeping. That's just about it."

"Sounds fun," she said. "What I would give to be able to play Quidditch over the summer…"

"Do you have some Muggle friends to keep you company?"

"A few," she said, "But we aren't as close as my friends here. I spend most of my summer working the front desk at my parents' gym."

"Sounds fun."

"Sarcasm detected," she quipped in a flat, robotic voice.

Caden chuckled and she grinned.

"You're so adorable," he said, giving her hand a squeeze.

"Thanks." She felt a little heat flood her cheeks. "Say, um… do you want any more food?" She sat up and started rummaging through the tote bag. "I've still got some side-dishes in here."

"No thanks, Tyriana. I'm good for now. Maybe later."

"Okay."

An electric spark jolted through her body when he grasped her forearm and pulled her hand back out of the bag. Gently, he started massaging her palm and fingers. The pads of his finger tips gently caressed her sensitive skin, sending tingles zapping up her arm. He seemed oblivious to how deeply this was affecting her, although she was sure that he knew exactly what he was doing. She'd wanted to talk more, but now her body was firing on all cylinders and begging for what they could both see on the horizon.

A faint purr slipped between her lips before she could stop herself. She hadn't consciously realized just how long it had been since she'd felt this way about anybody. _Damn. It's been so long_. Tyriana glanced over at him again, her lower lip caught in her teeth. She wondered why she hadn't _really_ noticed just how attractive he was before. Sure, she'd seen his appealing traits but she hadn't desired them like she did now. Lust filled her body, radiating from her core. Her heart was pounding an enthusiastic rhythm.

Sensing her staring at him, he turned and met her gaze. There was a long moment of silence as they read each other's eyes. The sexual tension was unbearable. Tyriana wondered how long it would be before he made a move. She couldn't wait much longer. _Why am I waiting? I can make the first move_ , she thought.

Before Tyriana fully realized what she was doing, she found herself crawling over and straddling him. He didn't make any move to stop her. She lay down flat on his chest and, running her hands through his hair, kissed him on the lips.

She was a little disappointed to discover that his mouth tasted like the sandwich he'd just eaten, and she was sure that the same was true of her. She wished she'd had the sense to perform a breath-freshening charm before kissing him, although that may have ruined the spontaneity of the moment.

That being said, she certainly enjoyed the kiss, and it was immediately followed by a second, a fourth, and an eighth. Caden seemed to be feeling just as much lust as she was. He caught her lower lip in between his, nibbling on the plump flesh. She couldn't stop a soft whimper from oozing out of her mouth and slipping into his.

As they continued to kiss, his hands explored her hair and her body. Everywhere he touched seemed to light up her body with a sensation of smoldering heat.

He began to remove her clothes, and he did have the courtesy to ask permission before doing so. It almost felt like an afterthought, though, and she had a little trouble shaking that impression from her mind. She was also a little unsettled by how easily he unhooked her bra and she began to wonder how many girls he'd undressed. Nevertheless, she was still enjoying herself.

It seemed like no time at all before he was rolling on top. She quickly took advantage of the situation and removed his shirt. Her initial assessment of his athletic build had been entirely accurate. Unlike many Hogwarts students, who enjoyed regularly eating gigantic meals in the Great Hall and never saw much reason to exercise, he clearly cared about his physical body and had taken pains to keep himself in respectable shape. She appreciated that.

"Someone looks hungry," he said, following her gaze.

She licked her lips. "I'm starving."

His finger traced her plump lower lip, which her tongue had just moistened. "Your lips, your big, bright blue eyes, your messy hair… you're so bloody hot, Tyriana — do you have any idea how hard it is to stop myself from pulling those little shorts of yours down right now?"

She grinned and winked. "I'm sure it's very hard." Sucking in a breath, she added, "I think you should give in to temptation."

He did and, soon after, Tyriana surrendered herself to pleasure.

She had no idea how much time passed before they were both gratified. All she knew was that her body was very happy when she finally snuggled against Caden's side after they were done. Her eyes slowly closed and the musings of her subconscious came to the fore.

Tyriana awoke gently to the sounds of nature: birds chirping, the wind, the lake. She felt more relaxed than she could recall feeling in quite some time. She took stock of her other senses and abruptly realized two things that almost caused her to bolt to her feet. First, she was naked, and second, she was cuddling with somebody. It took another second for her memory to kick in and she remembered who she was with and how she'd gotten into what she'd initially thought was a very compromising position.

Her eyes fluttered open. Caden was already awake.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty," he said softly, a layer of baritone that she could never replicate deepening his voice. She could feel the vibrations through his chest.

"Hey. What time is it?"

He shrugged. "Last time I checked you were the one with the watch."

She raised her arm and gazed at the timepiece. "Wow, we slept a while. It's getting close to dinner. We should probably get going."

He nodded slowly. "As much as I want to stay here, I do have after-dinner plans, so…" His meaning was obvious as his voice trailed off.

"Alright." Tyriana gave him a kiss and sat up. The sun was much lower in the sky than before; the lighting had completely changed. She dressed herself and packed up everything that she'd brought.

"We should do this again," he said as they walked towards the door they'd entered through.

"I agree," she said. "Let's keep in touch."

"Alright."

She longed to hold his hand as they walked, but she wasn't sure yet if their relationship was solely sexual or if it was romantic as well.

Tyriana hadn't realized how still the air in the castle was, particularly on the upper floors — until they stepped through the door and found themselves back on the seventh floor.

"That's an amazing room," Caden said. "How'd you find it?"

"My friends found it. 'Rediscovered' is probably a better word. The room got heavy use during the late nineties, if the stories and rumors are true. One of my friends was looking for a place to make out with her boyfriend last year but they couldn't decide where the most private place was. They passed the Room of Requirement three times in their indecision and voilà, there it was: a private room with a bed. It took her a while to figure out how it actually worked and she eventually told the rest of us."

"Wow."

"I kinda wish we'd found a better use for it than secret shagging, though," she said as they headed downstairs. "Countless generations of students before us have found better uses for it."

He chuckled. "I think humans will fulfill their core desires whenever possible, and I guess among teenagers that mainly revolves around shagging."

As they took a flight of stairs down to the fifth floor, Tyriana said that she needed to drop off her stuff and change in her room. "See you at dinner, I guess."

"Alright. Thanks for the great picnic, Tyriana."

"No problem. Bye."

"Bye." Caden disappeared down the stairs and Tyriana hurried to her room.

 **A/N** : Whew! The next M-rated scene is a few chapters away so I've got a few days to edit that down. In the meantime, I recall that tomorrow's chapter was pretty fun to write. Hawkins and Tyriana's bickering will be returning in full-force.

I began thinking a few minutes ago that where _Rivalry_ currently ends (Chapter 24) may not be the best place. I'm now considering adding more chapters and perhaps even an epilogue onto the end. Hopefully I will be able to continue to revise the existing chapters and write the new ones without missing a day. No matter what I decide to do, I need to finish this story before September because that is when my schedule fills back up again.


	10. Reality Check

**A/N** : This is a fairly short chapter but it was really fun to write. I love Tyriana and Julian's conversations and I hope that you guys enjoy them, too.

 **Chapter 10**

 **Reality Check**

 **September 14th, 2013**

Hawkins was sitting in his armchair, reading, when she arrived at their room. "Where've you been?"

"On a date, like my friends told you."

"Still not going to tell me who the lucky guy is?"

" _Lucky_?" she repeated. "You think somebody would be lucky to date _me_?"

His cheeks flushed a little. "Why wouldn't they be?"

"I figured you thought I had no redeeming qualities. Why else would you hate me so much? You never seem to run out of ways to insult me."

"Whoa whoa whoa," he said quickly, holding up his hands. "'Hate' is a strong word."

"'Detest?'" she ventured.

He cocked his head, thinking hard. "How about 'disagree with?'"

" _Adamantly_ disagree with," Tyriana corrected.

He chuckled. "So what did you and this mystery guy do? Judging by the fact that you left with neat hair and came back with a bedraggled mess, I'm guessing you two—"

"—Drop it, Hawkins," she growled. "Now if you'll excuse me for a moment…" Closing the door to her room, she put down her stuff and quickly changed into a more conservative outfit. She slipped her wand into the pocket of her jeans and emerged from her room.

Hawkins was waiting for her. "At least tell me if it turned out okay."

"What does it matter to you? The more you ask the more I suspect that you're secretly jealous."

"For Merlin's sake, Gallagher, what's wrong with trying to make friendly conversation? I figure, as roommates, we should try and be polite some of the time."

"The politest thing you could possibly do right now is shut up," she said as she fixed her hair in the bathroom mirror.

"Why do you insist on doing that?" he asked. "Your hair looks better messy and, no matter what you do, it inevitably becomes unkempt within a few hours. Why waste the time cleaning it up?"

"Please be quiet. And why are most of the things you say tonight about how good I look or my romantic life?"

"Didn't I just say that I'm trying to be polite?"

"There's more ways to be polite than that, you know." She headed for the door.

"Of course I know that. Are you going to dinner?"

"Yes."

"Brilliant." He hurried after her.

"You know, all of this better be part of some elaborate scheme to provoke or humiliate me," she said after a period of silent but fast walking.

"Why? You want me to do that now? Stop changing your mind!"

"I'd just like to believe that we're playing the same game as we always have."

"Of course, Gallagher." He smirked. "Of course this is all part of my master plan to ruin your life."

"That's reassuring."

"I never thought I'd hear you say that."

"This all being a part of your 'master plan' is better than the other possible explanations. Now, please, shut up." He must've taken her tone seriously because he did just that for the rest of the walk down to the Great Hall.

Her friends seemed very excited to see her when she took a seat next to them. Delaney even shooed Greyson away, which was quite a significant development. He gave her a confused look and she whispered, "Girl talk." He rolled his eyes and moved to join some of his male friends.

"How'd it go?" Alara couldn't seem to contain the question any longer.

"Good."

She pouted. "Just 'good?' Not 'great' or 'wonderful?' For Merlin's bloody sake, Tyriana, we want details!"

"I am entitled to some privacy, you know," Tyriana said.

"Come on, give us _something_ ," Delaney pleaded.

"Honestly, I'm still working out how I feel. I mean, I only just got back."

"Where'd you go?"

"The Room of Requirement."

"Wait… did you guys actually shag _all_ afternoon?"

"No. I used the Room of Requirement to simulate this beautiful park I remember from my childhood. We had a picnic and talked and then…" She blushed.

"You shagged him," Delaney helpfully supplied.

"Um, yeah… and then we slept all afternoon."

"That's cute," Brielle said.

Anxious to end the conversation, Tyriana said, "So the moral of the story is that I had fun."

"Any future plans?" Alara asked.

"Nothing specific, but we agreed that we should get together again sometime and we're going to stay in touch."

"Excellent." Her friends seemed relieved. Tyriana wished her romantic life didn't interest them as much as it clearly did. _When am I going to get a chance to sort through what just happened? After dinner, while I'm doing my homework, I suppose_.

To her relief, the conversation shifted to other topics.

As she had told herself, she spent her time after dinner doing homework and reflecting on not only her afternoon but her week as a whole. Between Quidditch tryouts, the fight with Zannah, and her first time getting intimate with a boy in over a year, a lot had happened. She could also sense her relationship with Hawkins shifting, although she had no idea where it was headed.

After Hawkins had patrolled alone on Monday so that she could get her homework done after the Gryffindor tryouts she'd returned the favor after the Slytherin tryouts on Thursday. To her disappointment, Hawkins had made the team again. In fact, he told her that only one position on the Slytherin roster had changed hands, although he wouldn't say which one.

Strategically, she knew that their familiar lineup would make practicing for Gryffindor's match against Slytherin quite easy. She already knew their strengths and weaknesses. Granted, this Slytherin team had beaten Gryffindor last year, but now she knew what to expect and her new roster had a lot of potential. With some training and practice, she thought the new Gryffindor team could outperform their predecessors.

Hugh and Jessamine had more experience than they had at this point last year. Taquin worked well with them, and time would only build the trust and rapport that an effective squad of Chasers needed. Theo and Oscar were both excellent and were already at such a level that they could give last year's Beaters a run for their money. With any luck, they'd be able to contain the Slytherins' Chasers with a hailstorm of Bludgers. Lydia had done an excellent job keeping during the tryouts. Her effectiveness would diminish somewhat during actual playing conditions as there would inevitably be more chaos, unpredictability, and sound to distract her once seven more players came onto the field and the stands filled with spectators.

Tyriana was extremely confident in her own abilities as a Seeker. She knew that her only problem was strategizing while pursuing the Snitch. There were times when catching it was not a good idea — such as when her team was down by more than 150 points — and she'd learned that literally firsthand last year. She'd gotten distracted by the rush of adrenalin that came when she spotted the glint of gold in the distance and had impulsively rushed to catch it.

 _This year I'll make sure to pay more attention to how my team's doing; I am the Captain, after all_. _I may not be the best team player — Seekers do work alone — but I need to try._

As she continued working on her homework, Tyriana turned her thoughts to the next big event of the week: the fight. She suspected that she hadn't seen the last of Zannah. What Hawkins had said about the Slytherin girl over the past few days had clued her in to several of Zannah's personality traits. For one, she was crazy in an irate kind of way. She was also determined and, if Tyriana had to guess, capable of holding grudges for quite a while. Tyriana asked Hawkins to tell her when Zannah managed to get a new wand, figuring that the Slytherin girl wouldn't try anything until she was on a level playing field again. Hawkins had agreed, although Tyriana didn't trust him much further than she could throw him. He seemed to be allied with her against Zannah, and the amount of time the Slytherin girl seemed to be spending clinging to him in the Slytherin Common Room made him a useful spy, although he could very well be a double agent. Tyriana wasn't sure whether he hated her or Zannah more and, until she knew, she didn't trust his loyalties to lie in her favor.

The next time she saw Zannah make a threatening move she wasn't going to use her fists. A quick hex — or perhaps even an _Immobulus_ — would work nicely. She'd stay out of danger, presuming that she managed to cast her spell first, and would avoid another embarrassing incident. A good number of students had seen her being carried by Caden after the last fight, and a variety of nasty jokes and rumors had immediately sprung up. A few rumors even suspected that they were dating, which Tyriana found amusing since these were starting to sound like prophesies that she and Caden were fulfilling. One joke about the fight that she didn't appreciate involved her injuries. Some students believed that if she didn't exercise so much, she might've had a little more cushioning when she got run over. _My goal isn't to be a human pillow_ , she'd thought the first time she'd heard this. _If I was, I wouldn't have lasted as long as I did in that fight. This way I'm light, fast, and unexpectedly strong_.

Finally, her thoughts turned to the afternoon that she'd spent with Caden. She'd had a good time; that was for sure. Her body was already eagerly anticipating the next intimate encounter with Caden, although her brain couldn't help but fly a warning flag. There was something she couldn't place about him that felt a bit off. She'd seen it in his eyes a few times, and there were a few other small clues that she needed to put together. Having no clue what the end result was going to look like wasn't helping her assemble the puzzle. She recalled her initial opinion of him — that he was a bit too well put-together — and that still held true. She wondered if it was related. What was it that caused her to feel uncertain about him, and why was he that way?

Tyriana sighed and put her homework to the side. It was a weekend, so she could afford to put it off until tomorrow. A glance at her watch told her that it was 8:45. She stood and stretched. A few days ago she'd remembered that, in the midst of everything that was going on, she'd slipped out of her regular yoga schedule. Tyriana had tried doing it in her room over the past few nights but hadn't been able to find an area with enough space. Glancing around the living room, she saw an open space behind the couch that looked perfect. Returning her homework to her room, she changed into another tank-top and a sleek pair of yoga pants. Then she grabbed the yoga mat she'd brought with her and laid it out in the spot she'd identified.

She was near the end of her exercises by 9:15, and that was when Hawkins walked in. He didn't even see her at first, but must've presumed that she was present because her door was open. "Thank Merlin that Zannah doesn't know that we don't patrol on weekends," he exclaimed loudly. "It was my only ticket out of there. How—" He stopped and stared when he finally saw Tyriana. "What're you doing? And what're you wearing?"

She glanced up, annoyed that he was interrupting her concentration. "I'm doing yoga, and I'm wearing yoga pants. You've seriously never seen yoga pants before?"

"No, I haven't, and what's yoga?"

She rolled her eyes. "You purebloods are so out of contact with muggle culture that I don't think you realize that we're past the year 1980."

"You still haven't told me what yoga is."

"It's a kind of exercise that puts emphasis on flexibility and relaxation. I find that it relieves stress and keeps me in decent shape without having to lift weights all the time." As she was talking she smoothly transitioned into her next pose.

"I can see the flexibility part. I'm having trouble believing that you find _that_ position relaxing, though. I'd have to dislocate my joints to do that."

She tilted her head, baring her neck. "Feel my pulse. I'm about as relaxed as I could possibly be with you talking to me."

He smirked at that last part and reached out, his finger's gentle contact on her neck affecting her in a way that she couldn't quantify. She almost wanted to squirm away, but not quite. "Huh," Hawkins murmured. He stepped back and looked at her with fresh eyes. "The pants are still a little much… Or, rather, a little little. They look very risqué."

She scowled. "Please stop running your eyes over me."

He held up his hands apologetically. "I'm not ogling you. I'm looking at the position _and_ trying to figure out why someone would want to wear those pants."

"Sure you are."

"I'm not lying."

"Whatever. Could you give me a few minutes of peace and quiet so that I can finish up?"

"As you wish." Hawkins disappeared into his room. By the time he came out again half an hour later, she was laying on the couch, humming a catchy Muggle pop song as she read a book. He gazed at her from his doorway. "I thought you said those pants were just for yoga."

"I never said the word 'just.' They're good for casual and loungewear, too. You'd know that if you'd spent five minutes amongst muggles in the past few years. Yoga pants are everywhere."

"Muggles are a bit odd." Hawkins sunk into his armchair.

"You should hear what they'd say about your kind."

"If they knew that we existed. And what do you mean by 'my kind?' You're a member of the magical community, too."

"That's not the message I keep hearing from your Slytherin pals."

He groaned in frustration. "Why does it _always_ come back to this? Look, Tyriana, I swear I'm not going to insult your Muggle ancestry."

"You've done it before."

"That was five years ago! I was, like, twelve! I was an idiot back then."

"And you aren't now?" In spite of herself, she couldn't resist giving him a teasing raised eyebrow.

"Do you really think McGonagall would have picked a Slytherin for Head Boy if I didn't have good grades? If I wasn't a decent person?"

Tyriana hesitated, a new thought occurring to her. "Do you think McGonagall put us together for a reason?"

He cocked his head, thinking. "I wouldn't put it past her."

"Me neither. Why, though?"

He shrugged. "Maybe she wants us to get along?"

"Like that's going to happen," Tyriana scoffed, but some part of her wasn't quite so sure. She quickly squashed that doubt. Being friends with him seemed impossible and she would make sure that it stayed that way.

It was his turn to raise his eyebrows. "You're genuinely determined to hate me."

"I'm not." She only denied it because it sounded like a rude thing to admit to.

"Yes, you very obviously are. What do I have to do to convince you to give us a chance?"

"A chance at what?"

"Getting along, maybe? Merlin's beard, maybe we'll even be friends by the end of the year."

 _Friends with a Slytherin? Not a chance_ , she thought.

"Here's a challenge," he said.

"Name it."

"What do you like about me?"

She froze. A few responses came to mind, but she rejected them all immediately. She didn't want to live with the thought that she liked some things about him.

"Is it really that hard?" he asked, taking her silence for what it was. "I can think of a few things that I like about you right away."

"Like what?"

"Your determination, your skill on the Quidditch field, your sense of humor… your eyes."

"How original."

He shrugged. "If you want me to be more original then you need to open up a bit more."

She was silent, thinking. Why was she embarrassed to share the answers that she'd thought of when he'd asked the question?

"Nothing?" he asked. "You're so bent on disliking me… and here I had thought that Gryffindors supposed to be open-minded and accepting. Looks like I was wrong. Ideals are still ideals; they're inherently out of reach." With that he stood and went to his room, squandering the opportunity to make a joke about her diminutive height and things being out of reach.

Tyriana sat there, silent and thinking hard, for quite a while before making her way to her own bed.

 **A/N** : I've decided to go ahead with my idea at the end of the last chapter and extend _Rivalry_ from 24 chapters to about 35. I plotted all of the new additions yesterday and plan to start writing them today. I'm very happy with where this story is headed.

Feel free to leave reviews; I'd love to hear from you.


	11. Problem Solving

**Chapter 11**

 **Problem Solving**

 **September 16th, 2013**

Tyriana was sitting at breakfast in the Great Hall with her friends when a male voice behind her that wasn't Caden's said her name. She turned around. It was Hawkins.

"What're you doing here?" she asked. She sensed her friends perking up behind her; they were paying close attention to this unusual encounter too. Slytherins never visited the Gryffindor table.

"You asked me to tell you when Zannah got a new wand," he said. "She just told me that she got permission to go to the Ollivander's shop in Hogsmeade yesterday. She showed her new wand to me a few minutes ago and I saw her glance your way a couple of times, too. She didn't look happy."

"Thanks for telling me, Julian," she said.

"Julian?" he repeated, feigning disbelief. "You actually know my first name?"

She nodded. "The nicer you are to me, the better my memory."

"Bullshit. Well, I've got to get going. I told Zannah that I was only coming over here to discuss the mess you made in the bathroom this morning, so…"

"What mess?"

"Merlin's beard, Tyriana, that was a lie! I had to tell her something that she wanted to hear so she'd let me go. She'd hex me if she thought I was coming over here to do anything other than ruin your morning! Anyways, see you later." Hawkins hurried away.

Tyriana resisted the urge to glance Zannah's way; that would only make the true nature of her conversation with Hawkins very clear.

"Well, shit," Brielle muttered. "That bitch has a new wand."

"Do you want us to escort you around today?" Siobhan offered. "She won't attack five of us."

"I'll be fine," Tyriana said. "This is between me and her. She'll probably just try and hex me. What's the worst she can do?"

"I recall you saying something like that last time," Siobhan pointed out. "Something about Zannah being the kind of girl to scream and throw her makeup? She attacked you, Tyriana. You're predicting that she's going to hex you this time. I'll bet she's way passed that. She's going to curse you."

"I'll be fine," Tyriana said again.

Tyriana spent the morning and early afternoon being extremely vigilant, but she saw no sign of Zannah in-between classes. Afterwards, she headed to her room and changed into her Quidditch robes, grabbed her broom and strategy notebook, and headed down to the Quidditch pitch. It was the first day of training.

Tyriana was the first Gryffindor to arrive, which didn't surprise her given that practice would not be starting for twenty minutes. After retrieving the trunk of Quidditch balls, she mounted her broom, intending to spend the excess time enjoying her Firebolt Supreme.

She was just kicking off from the ground when a voice behind her screamed, " _Colloshoo_!" Tyriana's feet stuck to the grass an instant before they left the ground. Her broom took off anyway, shooting out from between her legs and into the sky like an unguided missile.

Tyriana knew that someone had hexed her, and she had a pretty good idea of who it was: Zannah. Unfortunately, her wand was underneath her Quidditch robes. Her hand was scrambling for it, but she knew that Zannah had more than enough time to cast a second spell before Tyriana could defend herself. She prepared herself to endure whatever embarrassing hex or jinx Zannah's psychotic brain could concoct.

Then another voice joined the first. " _Immobulus_!"

To Tyriana's surprise, the charm did not apply to her, nor did she fall victim to another hex from Zannah. Her fingers finally grasped her wand and, as her feet were still glued to the ground, she turned her torso to see what had happened.

Zannah was thirty feet behind her, frozen like a statue with her wand raised. Her mouth was open, as if she'd been about to give another incantation. Behind her was Lydia, who must've cast the Freezing Charm.

Tyriana cast two spells. The first, " _Accio_ _Firebolt Supreme_!" sent her broom flying back into her hand before it crashed into anything. For the second, she pointed her wand at her stuck feet and said, " _Finite Incantatem_." The effects of the Stickfast Hex vanished and she was able to move her feet again. "Thanks," she called to Lydia.

"No problem. I'd heard about your fight last week and when I saw her following you down here I figured that she couldn't be up to any good."

"Well, you certainly saved me from being embarrassed by another hex. Say, do you think Slytherin has thirty points that I can take?"

"Probably not, but you should do it anyway."

"I agree. Thirty points from Slytherin."

"You know, if she's going to keep attacking you like this you should probably report her."

Tyriana nodded. "I should. When the Slytherins find out that they've lost points again they'll be furious with her, and she'll want to express her frustration on me."

"I wouldn't be surprised if they were mad at you, too. I mean, you've taken at least eighty points from them by now, right?"

"Easily. And that's just for the stuff that relates to her."

"You'll probably have the whole house bearing down on you by the time we have our Quidditch match against them."

Tyriana nodded. "You're absolutely right. I have a life of hell to look forwards to."

"Well, if you ever need anything I'm glad to do whatever I can to help."

"Thanks, Lydia." Tyriana clapped the much taller girl on the back. "You're a great friend. Feel free to join my friends and I in the Great Hall sometime. They'd love to meet you."

"Sure."

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Hugh and Jessamine. "What's this?" called the former, nodding to Zannah's frozen body.

"This is Zannah, the same Slytherin who attacked me last week. She hexed me a few minutes ago. Lydia arrived just in time."

"I'm sorry we weren't here to help," Jessamine said. "What should we do with her?"

"The spell's only going to last a couple more minutes," Lydia said.

"Hang her from the goalpost," Hugh suggested, sniggering. "Or use her as target practice for our Beaters."

"No… I need a way to get her to stop attacking me. Embarrassing her further won't help."

" _Expelliarmus_!" Jessamine said, and Zannah's new wand wiggled its way out of her stiff fingers and flew into the Chaser's waiting hand. "Let's take her up to Professor McGonagall."

Tyriana nodded. "We've got fifteen minutes till practice starts. That should be enough time, if we hurry. Jessamine, come with me." Turning to Zannah, she said, " _Mobilicorpus_!"

Zannah drifted off the ground.

Tyriana and Jessamine mounted their broomsticks and, using their hands to control Zannah's flight, flew her up to the entrance to the castle. They were just in time, as Lydia's Freezing Charm wore off seconds after they landed.

Zannah immediately rushed towards Jessamine, trying to get her new wand back.

" _Impedimenta_!" Jessamine shouted, not even having a chance to dismount her broom before casting the spell. Zannah was stopped dead in her tracks, as if she'd hit an invisible wall. She whirled and headed for Tyriana instead.

" _Incarcerous_!" Ropes sprung out of the end of Tyriana's wand, binding Zannah's hands and feet. Unable to keep herself from tripping, Zannah fell onto the stone floor with a cry of surprise. " _Mobilicorpus_!" Zannah's body levitated again, and Tyriana and Jessamine were easily able to guide the captive Slytherin to the Headmistress's office.

"What happened?" McGonagall asked after ushering them in.

"This is the second time this student has attacked me, Professor," Tyriana said. "Last time my friend and I had to go to the infirmary. This time she hexed me on the Quidditch field."

"I am familiar with the first incident. Had practice started when she hexed you?"

"No. I arrived before the rest of the team and she hexed me from behind. Professor, I'm hoping you have a better solution to resolve this because all I can think to do is take points away from Slytherin every time it happens. She seems to have an irrational and extreme hatred of me because of my blood status and the fact that I interrupted her attempt to… um… make out with Julian Hawkins. He has since told me that he did not want to… um… do that with her, but she just can't seem to take a hint."

Just then, Tyriana's binding spell faded. A few seconds later, the levitation spell faded as well. Zannah quickly scrambled to her feet, glaring daggers at everyone including the Headmistress.

Tyriana continued, "Um, Professor, if you'll excuse us, Jessamine and I need to get back to the Quidditch field. Practice starts in a few minutes."

"You are dismissed. I'm afraid this is not my first time disciplining Zannah. I will ensure that she bothers you no further."

"Thank you, Professor." Tyriana and Jessamine hurried back to the Quidditch field, where the entire team was now assembled. This included the reserve players she'd selected on her own time after the tryouts had ended. Clover (Tyriana figured that formal training and practice would give her a better shot at making the team in the future) and Gordon were her backup Chasers. She had two because she expected Slytherin to be quite brutal on the field and the Chasers would be in the thick of it. Charles was her backup Beater (she figured that anyone whose job was to hit Bludgers had a high risk of getting injured, too). She didn't have a backup for Lydia or herself, but she figured that she could replace the former with Trevor if it became absolutely necessary. He would not, however, be practicing at all with the team; she couldn't bear the sight of him. If something happened to Lydia she'd stomach his presence just long enough to win the match and then banish him from her sight.

She didn't have a replacement for herself, and that was a problem. She was likely to be the main target of the brunt of the pre-game insults, hexing, and general warfare between the rival houses. _We need a reserve Seeker. I need a reserve Seeker. But how do I find one_? Unless she held another tryout (informal this time, which would make it quite an undertaking for her to schedule) she had to find that reserve Seeker amongst the existing players in front of her.

Her eyes settled on Clover, and a reason why she felt so determined to see the younger girl succeed occurred to her: Clover reminded Tyriana of herself. She was small, an underdog, and a natural on a broomstick. _There's my backup Seeker_. Glancing at her watch, Tyriana saw that she still had a minute until practice technically started.

"Hi, Clover. Could I have a word with you?"

"Of course."

They stepped away from the others.

"Clover, have you ever tried playing Seeker?"

"Of course. I would've tried out for Seeker if it was available."

"Well, we have no reserve Seeker and I have a feeling we're going to need one. Those Slytherins are going to be brutal with me, both on and off the field."

Clover nodded bravely. "I can do it."

"Brilliant. During practice I'm going to train you as a reserve Chaser but, if you're okay with it, I'd like to spend half-an-hour after every practice working one-on-one with you as a Seeker."

Clover nodded again. "That's fine with me. I can't do today, though; I'm busy after this."

"We'll get started after the next practice, then."

Clover nodded, and she and Tyriana returned to the others, who were eagerly awaiting the start of their first training session. The weather was perfect and their spirits were high. Unfortunately, their first training session would not include as much flying as she suspected they hoped it would.

Instead, she spent the time discussing formalities, basic drills, and tactics. They did briefly practice the latter, but by then it was getting late and she called the practice session to a close. Tyriana was very proud of how they performed and how well they worked together

The team even waited until she'd finished putting the Quidditch crate away before walking up to the castle as a group. They certainly made a sight to behold as they marched into the Entrance Hall like a wave of red and gold. Students stared, and she saw a few members of the Slytherin Quidditch team exchanging anxious glances. They climbed the stairs together until the fifth floor, at which point Tyriana split off from the rest to go to her suite.

When she entered, Hawkins was doing homework in his armchair. He glanced up and saw the red and gold of her Quidditch robes. "Yuck. Those things are as garish as ever."

"The Slytherin robes are still drab."

"They're green — the color of the turf. Natural camouflage. That's called intelligence. You Gryffindors are way too visible. You're just giving yourself a disadvantage."

"That means that we don't need an advantage to win."

"Win? What win? As I recall, Gryffindor didn't win our match last year. In fact, Gryffindor hasn't won the Quidditch Cup in the last nine years."

"Shut up."

"Bitter, are we?"

"You wish, Hawkins."

"Then I consider that wish fulfilled. It's no secret that you take your Quidditch defeats very personally, Gallagher. You are very bitter and everyone knows it." She was silent for a moment, unable to deny what he'd said. "How'd practice go?" he finally asked.

"About as good as it could've gone."

He nodded, not at all surprised. "Knowing you, no more details will be forthcoming."

"Nope. I'm going to go get changed." Tyriana retreated into her room, hid her broom and notebook, and changed into casual clothes. She then grabbed some of her homework and went back to the living room, where she plopped herself down on the couch.

"You should let your hair down," he said after a moment. "It looks much better that way."

She rolled her eyes at him, although she did undo her ponytail. "I'm starting to think you have an obsession with my hair."

He shrugged. "I'm just trying to help. I've heard a few guys say that they prefer your hair down and messy."

She raised her eyebrows. "Who's saying that?"

"A few seventh years and a prefect or two."

"Which prefects?"

"Uh… a Hufflepuff — what's his name? Caden something?"

"Caden Weiss," she said. "Of course."

He gave her a questioning look.

She shrugged. "We've… um… talked a few times. I already know that he's attracted to me."

It was his turn to raise his eyebrows. "That was an odd spot to hesitate."

"Shut up," she growled.

"You're not denying it," he noted. "Caden's who you went on that date with, huh?"

"Don't tease me."

He stood and stretched, groaning, "I won't." He headed for his room and paused on the threshold. "I hope you know what you're in for."

Before Tyriana could ask for clarification, he'd disappeared into his room and closed the door. His comment was too cryptic to decipher so she returned her attention to her homework. She'd ask him what he'd meant another time. However, she had too many other things to worry about and investigating his comment fell to the bottom of the list. Dinner, more homework and the curfew patrol came and went. Before long, she was fast asleep in her bed.


	12. New Perspectives

**A/N** : Here's another chapter that was originally a strong M rating. I've toned it down _a lot_ and I think the scene in question might actually be better now. I'd say 'Enjoy!' but that doesn't seem fitting for this chapter.

 **Chapter 12**

 **New Perspectives**

 **October 1st, 2013**

September ended and October came. Tyriana had never been more busy in her life. She felt like she was being stretched in every direction at once, and something was bound to snap.

Her classes were becoming more and more difficult as each teacher ventured deeper into their curriculum. Her homework sapped her energy as it became more challenging, more time-consuming, and more stressful.

One of a few positives that kept her motivated on a daily basis was Quidditch. The Gryffindor team was rapidly progressing. They were training three afternoons a week and after every session Tyriana and Clover stayed behind to practice with the Snitch. This took a lot of time out of her schedule. Her duties as Captain (including, but not limited to, organizing the team's training regimen, anticipating the scenarios they may face during the match, strategizing accordingly, and envisioning new drills) filled what she could spare.

At least the threat posed by Zannah appeared to be off her plate. Whatever Professor McGonagall had done had convinced the Slytherin girl to leave her alone. Tyriana had heard rumors of severe discipline, suspension or expulsion if there was another incident. Slytherin house seemed to be absolutely livid for the points they'd lost during this feud, and their anger was directed at both Tyriana and Zannah. Gryffindor house, however, welcomed her with open arms like a hero. She was glad that at least some good had come out of the conflict, although the contempt she faced on a daily basis from the Slytherins dampened her spirits. She knew there was no bright future to look forward to, as tensions would only get higher as they approached the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Quidditch match early in November.

Hawkins wasn't immune to the after-effects of the conflict with Zannah either. Most were unaware of the true scope of his involvement, so he did not receive much heat for that. Instead, his peers were mounting pressure on him to be harsher in punishing Gryffindors for wrongdoing. They wanted him to find a way to take a large chunk of Gryffindor's points away and balance the playing field. Why Hawkins did not do as they wished she could not venture a guess, nor did she think he would answer if she asked.

Her relationship with him was still evolving. She would not have put him on her list of friends but, after a month of living together, she did consider him to be a colleague. Their conversations devolved to arguing less and less frequently, although they still regularly and vehemently disagreed on various topics. While she did not enjoy this form of sparring, she did enjoy some of their more lighthearted clashes. Their bickering, while a little annoying in the heat of the moment, was surprisingly entertaining to recall in hindsight. They'd also begun to have longer, deeper, and more civil chats about themselves. Tyriana took careful mental notes of everything he revealed; these were pieces to his puzzle and she was still determined to figure out what made him tick. The more they talked, however, the more she got the impression that she was missing a few massive chunks of that puzzle. These, she suspected, were the parts of his past that had caused him to turn into the unusual Slytherin that he was today. In fact, she'd begun to think that, since being Sorted, he had matured into more of a Ravenclaw than a Slytherin. He was certainly intelligent, academically-oriented, astute and witty.

Busy as she was, Tyriana got little time to talk to Caden, much less spend private time with him. Besides a few hours that they'd spent together shagging on Sunday, September 22nd on the shore of a secluded cove of the Great Lake, she'd only exchanged a few words with him during meals in the Great Hall.

Thus she was surprised when, as she walked down a corridor after her last class of the day, he suddenly burst out of the crowd of students in front of her, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into an empty classroom. " _Colloportus_!" he said, pointing his wand at the door. The lock clicked. His voice was low, husky, urgent.

"Caden, what's going on?" She'd barely completed the question when his lips bore down on hers. He pushed her back against the wall, his actions needy. Finally, after a long kiss, he paused to pull her schoolbag off her shoulder and she got a chance to breathe. "Caden, I—"

He cut her off with a finger on her mouth. The pad of his finger caressed the plump flesh of her lower lip. "Merlin, I've missed you," he groaned, the yearning evident in his eyes.

Tyriana noted that detail. It was a look she hadn't ever seen when they were talking. It only appeared when he was sexually desiring her. His eyes were much less energetic whenever she was trying to make conversation. Instead, they usually looked scheming. She'd initially taken that as a sign of intelligence, but now they were two-and-a-half weeks into their relationship and she was even less sure of his motivations than she'd been in the beginning.

His hands started groping her, firmly squeezing her clothed breasts. His lips approached again and Tyriana realized that she didn't want him to kiss her more. She took advantage of her size and slipped out from between him and the wall.

"Where're you going, babe?" he asked, turning to face her.

"Don't call me 'babe,'" she replied, retreating a few steps to put some distance between them and trying to smooth her already rumpled clothes.

"Come on, Tyriana," he said, opening his arms wide in what he probably intended to be an inviting gesture. "It's been a while. I thought that you'd want this." She thought that his open arms looked like a trap ready to spring closed around her.

"Not right now," she said. "Can we meet one time without having sex? Please?"

"And do what?"

"Just talk. You're hiding something from me and I want—" Her voice cut off as he tried to close the distance between them and she danced out of reach. "What's your bloody deal, Caden?"

"I think you'd like this more if you just let me do it."

Tyriana shook her head vigorously. Warning alarms were blaring in her mind. "I don't want to do this right now." She gradually retreated while also working an arcing path towards the door, effectively drawing him away from her bookbag as he pursued her.

"Come on," he pleaded. "I just want to reward you for being such a great girl."

For an instant she was almost tempted. Then she read his eyes and saw it again: the scheming look. He looked like a chess player who was only a few moves away from a checkmate. "Bullshit," she scoffed, completing her arc around the room and snatching her bag off the ground. She was now between him and the door. _Not too shabby_ , she thought, congratulating herself on her successful evasion.

"Tyriana, what're you doing?" He seemed confused by the urgency with which she was attempting to flee.

"I recall trying to ask you the same question before you started snogging me without permission," she growled. "I'm not sure what your intentions are but I know that they aren't the same as mine. And I know that you won't listen to me when I say 'no.' So what am I doing, you ask? I'll tell you what I'm doing: I'm going away. If you follow me I'm going to hex your ass."

Caden took an instinctive step back as she gave him her most intimidating glare. "I got caught up in the heat of the moment."

"Bullshit. You got caught up in your own selfish need to shag me." She turned to the door. " _Alohamora_!" She was so angry that it didn't just unlock. The door was blasted open, nearly flying off its hinges. She slammed it shut behind her and fled without a second thought.

 _I think I'm going to need to call this relationship experiment a bust_ , she told herself, remembering an American TV show called _Mythbusters_ that she'd watched as a kid with her Muggle parents.

Ten minutes later, she was sitting in the living room when she heard a knock on the door of the suite. "Tyriana?" called Caden's voice.

She kept silent, hoping he'd leave if she didn't seem to be in her dorm.

Fifteen minutes later, the door opened and Hawkins slipped in. "Did something happen? Your boyfriend's outside and he looks really angry."

"He's not my bloody boyfriend," she growled. "He was a friend with what I thought were benefits."

Hawkins didn't look as surprised as she expected him to. He sat down on the couch next to her and, to her surprise, put a comforting arm around her. "I figured, given how much girls gossip and how unlike you it is to hook up with someone, that you knew what kind of guy he was before all of this happened."

"What do you mean?" She recalled what he'd said a few weeks ago about hoping she knew what she was in for. Clearly he'd known something then that she didn't.

"Well, there's a few different broad categories of guys out there when it comes to interacting with women, I think," Hawkins said. "There's the obviously misogynistic douchebags, the genuinely respectful ones, and a lot of gray areas in between. Guys like Caden know that women are weary of the douches, so they act the exact opposite. They expect that, in return for behaving in a more respectful manner, they will earn them a trip into your pants. Of course, they're really just the same douches as the rest except slightly smarter for having the idea to wear a mask."

The puzzle started to fall into place. "So he pretended to be a gentleman in hopes that I would reward him for it with some shagging. Once I let him in he set up camp and used my trust to his advantage," she muttered. "He's a player. I'm so bloody stupid!" _Aren't I better than this_? _Just because most of the assholes at Hogwarts are in Slytherin doesn't mean they all are. I should've known better._

"You're not stupid," he said gently. "If it never worked he wouldn't do it. Frankly, it's absolutely disgusting that he thinks pretending to be a gentlemen entitles him to get everything from you."

"How do you know all of this, Julian?"

He sighed. "Look… I don't talk much about my early years at Hogwarts for a reason — no, no, it's not what you think it is. I guess you could say that I looked up to the wrong sort of people and I wanted to learn from them."

Tyriana was too overwhelmed to fully process the significance of what he'd just said but she knew that it was very important. She tried to remember every word for a deeper analysis later. "So… you figure out how other people work," she said hesitantly.

"Sometimes without even meaning to, yes," he said. "I have a better idea of who the good and bad influences on me are now, but I guess old habits die hard, huh? I can still read most people like a book. You, though, have been a walking paradox that I've had some difficulty unraveling. On one hand, you're ridiculously easy to read because you wear most of your qualities on your sleeve like a badge of honor. On the other hand, I can't use those insights because of your determination to be resilient, to block me out, to refuse to listen even when all of the evidence points in the other direction."

She chuckled softly. "For the past month I've been trying to read you, too."

"Having any luck?"

"I think I'll have more now that you've given me that huge ass hint."

"You haven't figured me out yet because your mind is closed," he said knowingly. "You reject anything that points towards my possession of good intentions — don't stare at me like that; you're only proving my point — and you inevitably hit a dead-end."

"A Slytherin with good intentions…" she mused. "I can't help but call 'bullshit.'"

He chuckled. "Valuing leadership and ambition doesn't guarantee villainy."

There was another knock on the door. Caden's voice drifted through. "Tyriana! I know you're in there! I can hear you talking to that Slytherin git! Come on out; I just want to talk."

Tyriana sighed. "I don't know what to say to him yet."

"I'll get rid of him." Hawkins stood and yanked the door open. "Caden, she doesn't want to talk to misogynistic assholes like you. Leave her alone or I'll take thirty points from Hufflepuff." He slammed the door again.

"Thanks, Julian," she said.

"Wow. You've used my first name twice in one day. That's gotta be a record."

"Shut up, Hawkins."

He chuckled and they started on their homework. Sitting and working in their shared living space together was gradually becoming more common, particularly on her Quidditch practice days. It was rather rare for her, however, to stick around on a Tuesday or Thursday like today. Usually she would have headed straight to the Gryffindor Common Room or the library to join her friends but today she just wanted peace, quiet, and (to her surprise) more time with her roommate.

There were no more knocks on the door.


	13. The Talks

**Chapter 13**

 **The Talks**

 **October 4th, 2013**

Tyriana's friends had been shocked when she told them what had happened with Caden. Siobhan and Brielle had apologized profusely for encouraging her to pursue him. They had recommended removing him from her life permanently. Alara and Delaney, as usual, had a different opinion. The highly promiscuous former had said, "Well, at least you got two good shags out of it." The latter had apologized, but begged Tyriana to give another guy a shot. "Just because Caden turned out to be an asshole doesn't mean all boys are."

Tyriana was so busy that it wasn't until dinner on Friday that she got the chance to tell Caden how she felt. She was a bit early coming down to the Great Hall and saw him approaching from the direction of the Hufflepuff Common Room with two friends. He seemed quite jovial; she took this to be only another sign that he'd never _really_ cared about her. She redirected her trajectory, moving to intercept him and setting her jaw into her trademark determined expression.

The mirth on Caden's face quickly died when he saw her. He seemed to know why she was here. Tyriana figured that his confusion when she'd left was just as much of an act as the rest of his character. She noticed that his friends seemed intimidated by her look on her face, despite the fact that they were both at least a foot taller than her.

"I need to talk to you," she told Caden bluntly. "You're coming with me."

Throwing an apologetic look at his friends, who reluctantly proceeded to the Great Hall without him, Caden followed her into the nearest room. "Hey, maybe if you let me talk this time I could explain—"

"—Let you talk?" she scoffed. "Why should I listen to you when you were never really listening to me? You thought you'd pretend to be a gentleman, huh? You think that being nice to me should earn you everything, huh? Well, not today, nor any day from here on out! I don't ever want to see you again! End of story."

Tyriana was about to storm out before anything could go wrong when he grabbed her hand. She glared at him. "Tyriana, this is all a misunderstanding."

She raised her eyebrows, feeling quite sure that he was just acting again. "How so? Do tell."

"Wasn't this just a fling? A friends-with-benefits type situation?"

"I may have enjoyed the 'benefits,' to some extend, but believe me when I say that I do _not_ want to be friends with someone as despicable as you."

"Your friends said that the whole point of this was the benefits. We can still—"

"—That's what _they_ said. It's not what I said. I was looking for something more romantic. I did not find it. Instead, I found a selfish git whose sole desire was to manipulate and use me for his own pleasure. Frankly, that's disgusting. Pretending to be chivalrous should never _earn_ you anything. If I ever see you doing this with another girl I can personally guarantee that there'll be hell to pay. Now please stay away from me and never come begging for forgiveness again because you will _not_ get any from me."

Tyriana stalked out before he could stop her and found her friends in their usual spot at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

"You look pissed," Brielle noted when she sat down. "What happened?"

"I just told Caden exactly how I felt." Tyriana rolled her shoulders, relaxing the tension there. Glancing towards the entrance, she saw him sulk into the room.

"Whatever you told him was effective," Siobhan said, following her gaze.

"What would be the point if it wasn't?"

Siobhan nodded. "True."

"So," Delaney said, "How're things going with the other guy in your life?"

"What? What other guy?"

Delaney raised her eyebrows. "Hawkins? Don't tell me that you've forgotten about him."

"Oh, of course not. How could I?"

"Are you going to answer the original question?"

"Huh? Oh… uh… it's going unusually well. There haven't been too many annoying arguments and he's opened up a bit recently."

"Tell us," Alara urged.

Tyriana shook her head. "I'm not going to spill his beans."

Her friends looked confused.

"Oh, that's another Muggle expression. I meant that I'm not going to tell you personal things about him that he might not want me to share."

"But he told you?"

"It was an odd moment between us," she admitted after a long pause. "Please stop asking about it."

Siobhan and Brielle had her back as always and they managed to dissuade Delaney and Alara from further investigation, although it was obvious that all four of her friends were curious.

After dinner, she went to her suite's common room and lay down on the sofa to think. Hawkins entered a moment later.

"Lots of homework?" he asked.

"No, not really. I can wait to start until tomorrow." She yawned and stretched.

He raised his eyebrows. "For being five feet tall you still manage to fill that couch pretty well." She chuckled and made a point of stretching more. He continued, "How was Quidditch practice today?"

Tyriana grinned. "Excellent. Is the Slytherin team scared yet?"

"Maybe a little bit." She could tell that he was joking.

"They should be."

Hawkins sighed and sat down heavily in his armchair.

"Soon that seat is going to be permanently molded to the shape of your ass," she teased.

"And that couch will boast the shape of a little girl forever."

"Little girl?!" she exclaimed. "I am eighteen, for Merlin's bloody sake!"

"Cursing like an adult doesn't change the fact that you're still short and female. 'Little girl' is accurate."

"Don't you dare tell me that being small and female is a bad thing."

"It's not. I didn't mean any offense, Tyriana."

"Good. For the record, you're short too, little boy."

"As you would say in a dismayed tone, 'how original.'"

His imitation of her was pretty good and she found herself laughing. He'd gotten her tone and the way she liked to thrust out her jaw dead on. "You know, Julian, I never thought I'd enjoy talking to you at all."

Triumph glinted in his eyes for a brief moment. "It only took a month and three days for you to admit that," he mused. "I wonder what else you will admit by the end of the year?"

She felt herself blush a bit as, for the briefest moment, she felt a wave of some emotion she didn't have time to identify wash over her. "I will admit nothing. I have nothing more to disclose."

"Of course, although you would have said the same a month ago."

She bit her lip, knowing that he was right. "Julian... I've been thinking and I came up with a few things that I like about you."

He actually seemed surprised by that. "May I ask what they are?"

 _Why am I so nervous_? She swallowed. "Well, you're kind, astute, and intelligent. You've got an entertaining sense of humor, you call me on my shit and… you're a good Seeker."

He genuinely look awestruck. "This is the cruelest joke…"

"No, I'm serious," she said. "You're talented… maybe not as talented as me, mind you, but you are good enough that I'm not offended by the thought of you on a broomstick."

He laughed. "There's the Tyriana I know. You're arrogant enough to be a Slytherin."

"I was joking!"

"I know. Why're you still so revolted by Slytherins? Am I really so bad?"

"No, but you're alone in that distinction. Every other Slytherin I've met has been rude at best."

"Fair enough."

"You agree with me?"

"Slytherin has a reputation that isn't… unjustified. That being said, we're not as bad as we appear. The actions of a few speak for the many in Slytherin. The rest just play along."

His insight was illuminating to her. "Why do I feel like this ties back into what you said on Tuesday about you looking up to the wrong people?"

He grinned and stood. "It does. But now's not the time to discuss that."

"Now you're holding two important discussions from me."

"And the other is...?"

"What happened in second year," she said, her body stiffening as the memories jumped to the fore, the wounds to her pride feeling as fresh as if they'd occurred the preceding day.

He grimaced. "That's related, too. Look, I promise we'll have this talk when the time's right."

"Define that."

"When you are sufficiently open-minded to understand."

She growled with frustration. "And how do you suggest that I achieve that, huh?"

He shrugged. "If you really want your questions answered you'll find a way, Gallagher. You always do." Hawkins went into his room and returned a moment later with some homework. He sat down and got to work.

Tyriana listened to his quill scratching at parchment for a few minutes before getting up, changing into her yoga clothes and starting her routine. She needed to relax.

Hawkins glanced up from his work a few times but otherwise sat entirely focused on what he was doing. She appreciated how studious he was; he spent so much time reading and working that he didn't talk much when they sat together in the common room.

When she finished her yoga there was still an hour-and-a-half before their curfew patrol. Tyriana slipped a sweatshirt over her tank-top, slid her wand into the front pocket and headed to the door. "I'll be back in a little bit."

He nodded to indicate that he'd heard.

Tyriana had intended to head up to the Gryffindor Common Room but instead found herself heading downstairs to the grounds in search of fresh air. Dusk was falling, and she didn't see anyone else on the sloping hills. She walked down to the shore of the Great Lake and took a seat. Closing her eyes, she listened to the gentle and repetitive lapping of the water on the rocky shore. She let the leftover stress that her yoga hadn't relieved fade. Her classes, Quidditch, her future without Caden, and her relationship with Julian Hawkins would all reach satisfying conclusions. She reassured herself that she just had to hold on and stay strong.

After a while, she got to her feet and hiked back up the slope of the grounds to the castle, entering just moments before the gate closed for the night.

"What were you doing out this late?" snarled Argus Filch, the caretaker.

Tyriana started to point to her Head Girl badge as an assertion of privilege only to realize that she'd forgotten to bring it with her. Instead, she said guilefully, "I was getting some much-needed fresh air. Being Head Girl is tough work, too, you know." With that she headed upstairs, leaving Filch standing there dumbfounded.

Arriving at the suite, she pinned on her Head Girl badge and then joined Hawkins on patrol. It had been almost a week since they'd caught any students doing anything noteworthy after curfew, and both had fallen into a routine of conversing. Thus they were a bit surprised to hear young voices ahead as they were heading down a third-floor corridor.

" _Shhh_!" Hawkins whispered, but Tyriana had already stopped talking. They hurried in the direction of the voices.

"Did you hear someone talking?" said one.

"No. Did you?"

"Maybe. Shut up so that I can listen." said a third student.

Dead silence. Tyriana and Hawkins were creeping forward now, their wands dimmed. The voices were coming from not far around the next right corner.

"I think I imagined it," said the first voice after a moment. "This place is kinda scary at night."

"Alright. Let's get going, then. We don't want to be late."

"Be late to where?" Tyriana mouthed to Hawkins. He shrugged. "We should tail them and catch whoever they're meeting too," she suggested. He nodded.

Three audible sets of footsteps began to head away from them.

" _Nox_ ," Hawkins whispered, and his wand light extinguished. Tyriana did the same and together they began to tail the students. They caught snippets of the conversation — something about the usefulness of _Expelliarmus_ and _Protego_.

"Are they going to duel somebody?" Tyriana whispered.

"Sounds like it," he said grimly. "We've got to stop it before someone gets hurt and catch everyone who's breaking curfew."

Unfortunately, both their plans and the students' were foiled when the latter turned a corner and found themselves confronted by Peeves the Poltergeist.

"Oh, sneaking around at nightsies, are we?" Peeves exclaimed in a sing-song voice. "STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED IN THE TRANSFIGURATION CORRIDOR!"

"Run!" shouted one of the students, and they turned and ran straight towards Tyriana and Hawkins.

" _Lumos_!" The students screamed in fright as the Head Boy and Girl seemed to materialize out of the blackness of the night right in front of them, blocking their escape route.

Hawkins looked up at Peeves, who'd followed the students around the corner. "Move along, Peeves, or I'll go fetch the Bloody Baron. I'm sure he'd be _delighted_ to come up here and—"

No more threats were necessary, as Peeves had blown a raspberry and zipped away.

Hawkins turned his attention to the students, as Tyriana had already done. "You were going to meet someone," she said curtly. "Who? Where? Why?"

"Some Slytherins challenged us to a duel in the art classroom," said one of them nervously.

"I'll take care of them. Meet you back here, Tyriana," Hawkins said, he and his wand light disappearing into the darkness.

"What house are you in?" she asked the students, who looked to be third years.

"Gryffindor," said the same one.

"All three of you?"

"Yes."

Tyriana sighed. "Look, just because Gryffindor values bravery doesn't give you an excuse to be stupid. Next time, don't accept the challenge and definitely don't break curfew to do so."

"Why're you here, then? It's past curfew," one of them asked, seeming to have not noticed her badge.

"Because I'm the Head Girl," she said. "It's my job to enforce curfew. Where was I? Oh yes: ten points from Gryffindor. Now head straight off to bed and get some sleep."

The three young Gryffindors fled down the corridor in the direction of the nearest staircase up to their dormitory.

Hawkins returned a moment later. "How many points did you take?"

"Ten."

"Same," he said. "Smart minds think alike."

"I'm just glad I didn't have to tell you off for only taking five. Also, I'd remind you that the correct expression is 'great minds think alike' but then you'd sound arrogant."

"And we couldn't have that. It would only reinforce the misconception you have stubbornly drilled into your head that Slytherins are inherently arrogant."

She rolled her eyes. "Come on; we've still got several floors left to patrol."

 **A/N** : I hope you're enjoying _Rivalry_ so far. Please leave a review letting me know what you think!


	14. Friendship

**Chapter 14**

 **Friendship**

 **October 7th, 2013**

When Tyriana returned from Quidditch practice one afternoon, she was quite surprised to see several Slytherin boys in the common room with Hawkins. Since the inciting incident with Zannah, Hawkins had rarely had anyone over and had instead gone to the Slytherin dormitories when he wanted to hang out with his friends. She had heard him shagging a girl or two that he'd smuggled in when he thought she wasn't paying attention but, other than that, he seemed like a bit of a loner. He spent more time in their suite than she did, and most of that was spent studying.

Of course, he had Quidditch practice but the Slytherins didn't seem to be training as much as the Gryffindors. When she'd mentioned this, he'd chuckled and said, "I'm surprised you're not worried about reaching a point of diminishing returns. Your team must be tired and stressed." Tyriana had brushed this off with a snarky comeback but she had scaled back the Gryffindor team's practices shortly thereafter.

Her mind snapped back to the present when Hawkins said, "Ah, Tyriana, we were thinking you'd be back right about now. Say, why don't you change out of those ugly Gryffindor Quidditch robes and joined us for a few?"

She eyed his four Slytherin friends wearily. She recognized a few but had never talked to any of them before.

"Don't worry, they're friendly," he said, correctly reading her apprehension.

"Uh… alright, then." Tyriana took her time changing, not wanting to leave the sanctuary of her room and sit with the Slytherin boys. Finally, she figured that she couldn't stall any more. She summoned her Gryffindor courage and stepped out of her room, the noise of her door opening attracting all five guys' attention.

"Much better," Hawkins said, referring no doubt to her outfit. Nodding to one of his friends who was sitting in the other armchair, he said, "Finley, would you mind giving her your seat?"

Tyriana was a bit surprised when the Slytherin boy did as Hawkins had asked without any indication of displeasure. "Thanks," she said, her voice a bit softer than she would have preferred. She couldn't recall the last time a Slytherin had been so chivalrous to her.

"I think introductions are in order," Hawkins said, proceeding to introduce her to Riley, Aiden, Jensen, and Finley. She was genuinely astonished by how polite they were.

"You're seeing an unusual side of Tyriana, today," he told his friends. "She's being so shy… I swear a lioness slumbers somewhere inside her."

The boys laughed. Tyriana worried that they were going to tease her, but that was not what happened next.

"I may not be a fan of how many points you've taken from Slytherin," Aiden prefaced, "But I love what you did to Zannah and her friends last month. From what I hear, it was quite amazing."

"You don't like her either?" Tyriana ventured cautiously. The last thing she wanted was to offend somebody. The way she saw it, the less she angered them the better. She might just escape this conversation alive and in one piece.

Riley laughed. "No one likes Zannah. _No one_."

"Except the goons she calls friends," Finley pointed out, "But the Turnbull sisters are so stupid that I don't think they even understand what a proper friend is."

Tyriana chuckled in spite of herself. "The Turnbulls? They certainly charged at me like bulls, although they couldn't seem to turn. Brains definitely weren't their strongest suit."

"You kicked their asses," said Riley.

"Tyriana's one badass girl," Hawkins replied.

"You can see it on her face," Jensen said.

Tyriana blushed a bit. "Thank you."

There was a brief pause. Hawkins made eye contact with her. "Tyriana, tell us about Muggles."

She stiffened.

His keen eyes spotted her reaction. "Relax, Tyriana. We're not going to make fun of you. Believe me; Aiden, Finley, Riley and Jensen are the nicest Slytherins you'll ever meet. We're asking for a good reason. You see, we've been talking about trying to create a new identity for our house for some time, one that's much more accepting, less prejudiced, and has a positive impact on both the wizarding and Muggle world. In other words, an interpretation of Slytherin's values that isn't skewed in the direction of the Dark Arts."

"We feel that, to achieve that goal, we should make sure to look at both worlds from numerous perspectives to broaden our understanding of them," Finley concluded He was now leaning against the wall by the fireplace.

Tyriana knew her mouth was hanging open. "Um… did you guys literally come here just to interview me?"

"No," Hawkins said, "This is an official planning session for a Society we're planning on starting but we thought it couldn't hurt, while you're here."

"Well, if you want to know about Muggles then I suggest you take Muggle Studies."

"We have," Riley said. "But that class is from the wizarding perspective. We want to understand the Muggle perspective on both worlds."

Judging by the boys' expressions and body language, they were entirely serious. They actually wanted to hear from her. "What do you want to know?" she asked tentatively.

They chatted about all sorts of things, from how Muggles used technology to improve their lives to how some relied on religion to explain the unknown while others placed their faith in science and even more negotiated a balance. This seemed to fascinate them, and Tyriana could understand why. As purebloods, they'd been raised in a world of magic without religion, science or technology. Her world outside of Hogwarts was as foreign to them as the castle had been to her when she had first arrived. She found herself enjoying this conversation more than she'd expected; trying to explain the way that Muggles lived and thought so that they could understand and form meaningful connections was unexpectedly stimulating. Hawkins had been right, his friends were indeed quite nice and they respected her heritage. She liked them a lot more than she cared to admit. In their quest to craft a new Slytherin identity they did not deny that the history of Slytherin's platform and rhetoric did not share their views. She appreciated that they didn't shy away from the truth and were making distinct efforts to distinguish themselves from the past.

An hour later, Tyriana found herself sitting in the Great Hall eating dinner with her friends. She had a lot to think about. Of course, her friends wouldn't let her brood silently for long.

"Hey, Tyriana, what's going on?" Siobhan asked.

"I'm trying to process what happened with Julian today," she admitted.

Her friends exchanged glances, knowing very well that it was rare for her to use his first name. "Mind telling us what it is this time?" Delaney asked.

Prioritizing Brielle and Siobhan's advice over Julian's privacy, she told them everything that she could remember about him that seemed relevant.

"So he's nice, smart _and_ attractive," Alara mused.

"Shut up!" Brielle and Siobhan exclaimed simultaneously.

"She's got a point," Delaney said, to no one's surprise.

"Can't you see that Julian being attractive is the least of my concerns right now?" Tyriana growled.

"So you admit that he's attractive?" Alara seemed way too excited by her own observation.

Tyriana groaned. "I guess. Can we move on to the issue a hand?" Seeing that neither Alara nor Delaney had any intention of doing so, she ignored them until they gave up and, in the meantime, focused all of her attention on Siobhan and Brielle.

"Tyriana, I think Julian's not the bad guy you're trying to convince yourself that he is." said the latter.

Siobhan joined in. "I understand that he's said some hurtful things in the past but he's so clearly a different person now. It's time to forget all of that. I never thought I'd say this but you should give him a second chance."

"I know, but… _Slytherin_."

Brielle groaned in exasperation. "You said it yourself; he's grown into more of a Ravenclaw. Tyriana, I honestly think there's an opportunity here for you."

Tyriana sighed and stood up from the table. "I understand where you are coming from and all but I can't afford to take that opportunity. Not right now." With that, she left.

Tyriana was sitting on the couch, doing homework, when Hawkins returned from dinner.

"See? That wasn't so bad, huh?" he asked, throwing himself into his armchair.

"Not really," she admitted, putting her homework aside. "Your friends are nice and I like where their heads are at."

He grinned. "You see? I don't surround myself with total assholes. There are decent Slytherins to be found if you know how to see under the mask they're wearing."

She raised her eyebrows, feeling like there was more significance to that than he was letting on. She let it slide for now. "I understand that there are tolerable Slytherins out there. I just can't afford to look at you and your friends that way. You may not understand this, but I _need_ to beat Slytherin. This is my last chance." She set her jaw.

His eyes seemed to penetrate her soul. "Oh, I think I understand quite well. You feel that you need to frame me as an opponent in order to succeed. You're worried that, should you and I become friends, your resolve will weaken and you'll fail. It frightens you."

Tyriana nodded slowly. He'd read her perfectly again.

"That's ridiculous, Tyriana. You think that accepting me as a friend is going to make you care _so_ much about me that you won't be able to win a Quidditch match? Quidditch is what you've practically dedicated your life to at this point. Knowing you, you're never going to give up until you achieve that goal. Why would a simple friendship affect you so deeply?"

She shook her head. "I don't know."

He sighed. "There's more to life than winning, Tyriana. Even if you and I never become friends you need to find something else to care about. Think about it this way: what if you do fail? Your whole life would be ruined if Gryffindor didn't win, wouldn't it? Besides, whether Gryffindor wins or loses, you'll need a new purpose when the season is over or else. You should start looking for other things to invest time and energy in. Trust me, your Quidditch performance won't suffer if you care about more than one thing."

She chuckled to herself. "You know what's really sad?"

"What?"

"You're talking about caring about things other than Quidditch and I'm over here thinking, 'that's great and all but there's still a small chance that Hawkins is only being nice to me so that he can get in my head and ruin my Quidditch season.' Pathetic, huh?"

He put his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking with what she thought was silent laughter. "Merlin's beard! You're almost hopeless."

"Almost," she repeated.

"Are you literally so dense that you haven't learned one thing about me over the past five weeks?"

She avoided the question. "I...You… You actually think I can be your friend?" it was her turn to stare deep into his eyes, searching for the truth.

"Of course. You have my vote of confidence." His eyes were earnest.

"You know how much that means to me."

"Hopefully more than nothing."

"More than nothing," she repeated. "I suppose so."

"Now, don't get me wrong," he said, leaning forward. "I love your determination to succeed at everything you put your mind to but sometimes you can be a little too single-minded."

She chuckled. "That's me in a nutshell."

Julian grinned. "It is." There was a pause, during which his expression turned serious. "I'm worried about you, Tyriana. You've dedicated your whole life to one thing and, if you fail, I'm not sure that you're going to be able to cope with it."

Deep down, Tyriana knew that he was right. She was deathly afraid of failing because she knew just how thoroughly she'd be destroyed. She'd be hollow and purposeless.

"I think you'd be wise to find a few other things that give your life meaning," he continued. "That way you always have something left to hold on to."

 **A/N** : Well that's a rather dark and ominous ending to a chapter called "Friendship." I hope you're enjoying _Rivalry_ so far. Please leave a review letting me know what you think!


	15. Revelations

**Chapter 15**

 **Revelations**

 **Mid-October, 2013**

It was kind of funny, Tyriana thought, how she could simultaneously look forward to and dread the same thing. The Gryffindor vs Slytherin Quidditch match was scheduled for 9:00 AM on Saturday, November 2nd. In her mind, she began to dread the end of October because it meant that there would be no more time to prepare, no more time to avoid confronting the fact that she'd put herself in a position where so much pressure rested on her shoulders. Paradoxically, she was also eager to get the match over with — if only to know the results.

Time was both a cruel and merciful thing, for the days began to blend together and flash past in a blur. This decreased the anxious waiting period, although the rapid and inevitable approach of November 2nd also built a sense of panic within her. _Will I be ready? Will the team be ready?_ Before she knew it, it was mid-October.

Tyriana lamented how she'd begun to view the team's Quidditch practices as a chore. She no longer felt the joy of zipping around on a broomstick because the entirety of her focus was always on improving her performance, on being perfect. Unfortunately, she began to suspect that the more she trained, the more robotic she got. Flying certainly wasn't feeling natural anymore. She felt like her instincts were slipping away and her performance was nosediving faster than her Firebolt Supreme when she practiced the Wronski Feint.

Tyriana stopped focusing on her own training and channeled all of her energy into the rest of the team. If they found her abrupt change in habits worrisome, none of them mentioned it. She had faith in her natural talent and instincts, but she worried about the rest of them. Their positions were much more dependent on teamwork and practice than hers. All she needed was her eyesight, her natural talent on a broom and a hand to catch the Snitch with.

She wasn't the only one feeling the pressure. Hawkins, who'd mostly kept quiet about his thoughts on the upcoming Quidditch match so far, gradually began to discuss the subject more and more frequently with her as October zipped by. They weren't just briefly sharing how each other's practices had went; now they were discussing their favorite matches, players and professional teams. Their opinions and preferences were surprisingly similar. Tyriana found herself enjoying these talks much more than she thought she should, and she expected this attachment to alarm her. To her surprise, she found herself accepting it as a natural evolution of their relationship. These chats were also an excellent distraction from the stress of her everyday life and somewhat reinvigorated her passion for Quidditch.

Nevertheless, the pressure continued to eat away at both of them. Tyriana went through a long week where she could barely sleep at night. Her mind would race restlessly, envisioning numerous potential situations on the Quidditch field and how she and her team could handle them. Even when she did fall asleep she was not safe. Worst-case-scenarios kept materializing in her imagination, and the team frequently performed disastrously in these nightmares. She'd wake up suddenly, sweating profusely and having tossed all of her sheets off her bed in a mixture of panic and an urgent desire to cool down.

After Quidditch practice on Wednesday, October 23rd, she tried to get some of her homework done on the couch before dinner. Her body had other plans, though. She'd gone without sufficient sleep for far too long. Her eyelids quickly grew heavy and the world faded into blackness.

She woke up to the sensation of being carried in someone's arms. Instantly, she was wide-awake as adrenalin surged through her body. Her eyes focused on who was carrying her. It was Julian.

"What're you doing?" she asked.

He gently deposited her on her bed. "You didn't look very comfortable on that couch."

She was inclined to believe him, she did have a rather irksome crick in her neck that could only come from sleeping in an awkward position.

"I'll be back in a second," he said, his voice soft in a warm-hearted kind of way. He returned a moment later with her homework, which looked a little more rumpled than she remembered it.

 _I must have dropped it when I fell asleep_ , she concluded.

"You missed dinner," he said as he set the books and parchment down on a table. "Your friends brought some food up for you." He nodded to her nightstand.

Her heart swooned as she grabbed the plate and hungrily dug in. Looking up after a moment, she caught him gazing at her with a faint grin on his face. She'd never noticed the way the skin around his eyes crinkled when he smiled. "What are you looking at?" she demanded.

She must've snapped him out of a reverie because he started a bit and blinked a few times. "Nothing."

"Bullshit."

His ears becoming a little pink, he turned to leave.

"Thanks," she said.

"No problem," he said. "Get some sleep; I'll patrol tonight."

"Thank you."

"Good night."

Tyriana repeated the farewell and he closed the door. She reflected drowsily on what had just happened. Her friends must've noticed when she didn't come to dinner and gone to Julian to ask where she was. They had probably found her sleeping and, from there, the rest of the pieces fell into place. _Why, though, were my friends content to let Julian get the credit for taking care of me_? No matter their reasons, this had certainly been a nice gesture from both parties. Feeling safe and cared for, Tyriana finished her meal and quickly returned to the world of her dreams.

The next morning, Tyriana woke up feeling refreshed. She stepped out of her room to go to breakfast. Julian was sitting in his usual chair — at this point she was so used to seeing him there that she almost overlooked him, but she couldn't help but feel a tingle of warmth flitted through her body when she did notice him.

"She rises from the dead!" he crowed, looking up from his book.

Tyriana laughed. "Stop it, Julian."

His eyes focused on her hair. "Merlin's beard, even for you _that_ is taking bedraggled a bit far."

"Do you actually think I care?"

"No." He got up and followed her to the door. "Tyriana, there's something I want to tell you."

She froze, wondering if this was about the way she'd caught him looking at her the previous night. "What?"

"Well, I've heard some talk amongst the Slytherins lately about you."

"And?"

"They want to get in your head before the match. I think this is going to go above and beyond the usual pranks."

"No offense, Julian, but no shit. Of course they're going to prank me in ways that only they can."

"I just wanted to remind you that I'm going to have to play along. I'm on the team and I'm by far the closest Slytherin to you. They're going to expect me to help. It's nothing personal, okay?"

She nodded and grinned. "Bring your worst, Julian." With that, she turned and left.

At breakfast, her friends keenly asked how she'd slept.

"Great, thanks," she said. "I really needed the extra hours. Thank you so much for the food."

"Any time," Brielle said.

"He told you it was from us?" Delaney almost sounded disappointed. Tyriana wondered why her friends would want Julian to act as if he had gotten the food himself. _If they're trying to ingratiate him to me it certainly worked_.

Julian had a long Quidditch practice that afternoon so she didn't see him again until after dinner. She looked up from her homework and gave a friendly smile when he finally strolled in.

He hesitated. "What's up?"

"I'm just wondering if you have time for a serious conversation."

Julian sat down on the couch next to her. "Define 'serious.'"

"You know, the conversation that you said we wouldn't have until I was ready."

He considered her for a moment and then nodded his consent. "I'm sure you have lots of questions for me."

"Not really. I just want to know."

"Fair enough." He shifted into a comfortable position on the couch gathered his thoughts before beginning to speak. "You already know that my whole family is pure-blooded. During the war, my father conspired with the Death Eaters. He was not technically one himself and the Ministry never discovered his involvement, though. He raised my older brother in his own image as a firm believer in the superiority of pure blood. When my mother had me a few years later she made sure to shield me as much as she could from my father. She'd seen the effect of his influence on my brother. Nevertheless, he had high expectations and expected me to conform to his prejudiced ideology. I hated him, not because I understood that his beliefs were problematic but because he was cruel and, in many ways, abusive. He had high expectations for me. When I came to Hogwarts I was Sorted into Slytherin because, at that time, the years of never measuring up to my father's standards made me anxious to prove myself worthy of my ancestry. I was ambitious in my goals and cunning in how I achieved them. I was also young and impressionable, particularly without my mother guiding me. The older Slytherins welcomed me and took me under their wing. Slytherin takes care of its own, you see. When you're a Slytherin you always feel like it's three houses against one. You feel defensive, you feel frightened and vulnerable. The house is so self-contained that it becomes an us vs. them mindset where you always feel outnumbered and your back is to the wall. When people feel trapped they tend to either crumple or lash out. A hierarchy formed in Slytherin, as it always does. Those who proved themselves ascended to the top and the rest cowered underneath them. The older Slytherins who led the house were at the top because they bullied students from other houses. We were outnumbered and they were the ones fighting back for us. That was the only kind of 'success' I'd ever seen a Slytherin achieve and I admired them for it. They were our heroes and my idols. I could see how they operated. I could also see, thanks to my talent for reading people, that they were acting primarily out of fear for the sake of self-preservation. I didn't fully understand that fear is often the motivator for terrible things. They were miniature versions of my father, but I wasn't old enough to see the similarities yet. All I knew was that there was one path to a success. I, like many of my peers, followed the biggest bullies blindly and tried to mimic them."

"That's why you called me a mudblood in second year," Tyriana inferred. She understood his 'mask' comment from the previous week a lot better now.

Julian nodded. "I'm terribly sorry and I take all of those things I said back. I was just trying to be something I was not. I never took any pleasure in it, even though I tried to act like I did because I thought I was supposed to."

"What changed?"

"During the summer between my third and fourth year, my mother arranged for the two of us to go on vacation alone. She broke through to me there. She could see my downward spiral and that, deep down, I wasn't very happy. I was trying to be something that I wasn't. She made it clear to me that my heroes were really not the greats I had convinced myself they were. My observations that they were just acting out of fear were accurate, and she showed me how it was wrong, how I was doing the same and how I could find a better path. It took a while but I managed to change myself and turn into what I am today."

Tyriana sensed that this process had been a lot more difficult than he was letting on. There was probably a reason for that, she figured, and she didn't want to pressure him to divulge it. She understood enough.

She felt his gaze on her and looked up, meeting it. His eyes pierced her soul, gauging her reaction. His shoulders were tense and she realized that he was nervous. He didn't seem to know how she was going to respond.

"Can't you read me?" she asked softly.

"I don't want to put words in your mouth."

She hesitated and double-checked her feelings before saying, "I understand, Julian. And I forgive you."

 **A/N** : I seriously procrastinated on Julian's story so I hope it turned out okay. Feel free to leave a review; I love hearing from my readers. Only three more chapters before the big Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Quidditch match!

 _Rivalry_ 's rating may change back to M in the near future. If it does, I may go back to chapters that were previously heavily censored and flesh them out a bit more.


	16. Hogsmeade

**A/N** : It's happening, everybody! _Rivalry_ is switching back to an M rating. And it's perfect timing, really, because this chapter has some language and the next two chapters may get a little steamy...

 **Chapter 16**

 **Hogsmeade**

 **October 26th, 2017**

Tyriana loved Hogsmeade weekends. The bustling village — the only all-wizarding community in Britain — was jam-packed with things to do. Despite her many visits over the years, the notion of visiting Zonko's Joke Shop, the Three Broomsticks, or pretty much any other establishment in Hogsmeade still excited her.

She walked to Hogsmeade with Brielle and Siobhan after breakfast, the three of them chatting about purchases that they wanted to make. Siobhan had her heart set on a lengthy shopping spree at Honeydukes and she desperately wanted a companion. Brielle was looking forward to Zonko's Joke Shop, as she had fallen victim to a Slytherin prank intended for Tyriana and she was looking for cruel yet amusing revenge. Tyriana herself was planning to pay a visit to Sprintwitches Sporting Goods, where she hoped to pick up a fresh broom maintenance kit. Her old one was starting to look worse for wear and she didn't want her Firebolt Supreme's performance to be marred by any factor that she couldn't control in next Saturday's game. Tyriana also hoped to find a fresh pair of gloves with the dexterity and grip she'd need to catch the Snitch.

 _Holy shit_ , she thought as it suddenly hit her: the game was exactly a week away. At this time one week in the future, she'd be walking out onto the Quidditch pitch to face Hawkins and the other Slytherins.

She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. _Now is not the time to get anxious_. _Today is supposed to be a fun distraction_.

Brielle nudging her shoulder as they walked through the crisp fall air to the village, jolting her out of her musings.

"What?"

"I was asking if you want to meet up with us at the Three Broomsticks for some Butterbeer at two o'clock," Brielle said.

"Oh... sure."

"Brilliant. If I see Alara and Delaney I'll ask if they want to come, too."

"I bet you they're both in Madam Puddifoot's, snogging their boyfriends," Siobhan predicted.

"I bet you're right," Tyriana agreed as they entered the village. "Good luck dragging them out of there. Anyways, I'm going to get going to the Quidditch shop. See you girls later!"

"Bye!" her friends chorused.

Tyriana made her way down the main road and turned onto a side street without even glancing at the sign. She knew the route to Sprintwitches like the back of her hand. In the shop's display window she saw a Firebolt Supreme floating majestically. Dozens of fingerprints on the glass hinted that many passerby had tried to get a closer look. She stepped into the shop, hearing the familiar bell chime overhead as she opened the door.

Madam Marsden looked up and her eyes brightened with recognition. "Tyriana, how good it is to see you again!" The witch hurried out from behind the counter.

"It's good to see you, too, Madam Marsden." Tyriana cast a cursory glance around herself. The products had updated somewhat, but the layout and organization of the shop was the same as when she'd last visited the previous spring. The shop was fairly empty; few Hogwarts students saw it as one of Hogsmeade's primary attractions like she did.

"You still flying that Nimbus 2010?"

Tyriana shook her head. "I sold it and upgraded." She pointed to the Firebolt Supreme in the window. "I'm flying one of those now. It's amazing. I would've bought it here — you know how much I like to support this shop — but the first match is only a week out and now would've been too late."

The witch nodded in understanding. "The Firebolt Supreme is certainly an amazing broomstick. Good luck with the match. It is against Slytherin, yes?"

Tyriana nodded. "They've won the past nine years. I'll be damned if I see them holding the Quidditch Cup again."

"How're your practices going?"

"They're going excellent. I've got a really good team this year. It's better than last year's, if I do say so myself, and last year we only lost the Cup by ten points. I think Gryffindor has a decent chance."

"Good. I was a Gryffindor myself back in the day. I remember playing against Slytherin; the parties were huge if we won."

Tyriana nodded. She hadn't even thought about a victory party. She was just hoping to survive the match itself. "Madam Marsden, I'm looking for a new broom maintenance kit and Seeker's gloves. What would you recommend?"

The witch showed her the selection. Fifteen minutes later, Tyriana stepped out of Sprintwitches with a bag under her arm. She'd hardly walked a dozen paces when she was hit in the back by something wet and lumpy. Tyriana whirled around and saw three Slytherin boys not too far away.

"Hey, mudblood!" one of them jeered. Spotting the mud on his hands gave her a pretty good idea of what they'd thrown at her.

"What're you doing shopping for Quidditch stuff?" another asked. "Oh yeah, you're trying to fend off the inevitable! Gryffindor's going to fucking lose!"

Tyriana ignored the urge she had to glare, or maybe even hex them. She was the Head Girl; she had other, more permanent and proper ways of solving this. "Perhaps a week of detention would teach you some manners and proper sportsmanship?" she called. The Slytherins reluctantly slouched away. She headed back to Hogsmeade's main street, pulling out her wand and pointing it at her back. " _Scourgify_!" The clumps of mud on her clothes vanished.

Tyriana had a few hours to kill so she visited several other shops. She felt the heat of Slytherin glares everywhere she went but, as long as none made a threatening move, she ignored them. She visited Dervish and Banges, Gladrags Wizardwear, and Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop before finding herself wandering through the musty aisles of Tomes and Scrolls, a bookshop.

After turning onto one such aisle, she ran into — as in literally collided with — Julian. The stack of books he was carrying fell to the floor in a symphony of weighty _thud_ s.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, stooping to help him pick them up. "You know, I kinda had a feeling that I'd find you here."

"Thanks. You were looking for me?"

She bit her lip. "No, not really. I'm just wandering."

"Your friends ditched you?"

"No… Sprintwitches just didn't interest them."

"Ah. You know, you should find some friends who like Quidditch as much as you do."

"I have them. They're called the Gryffindor Quidditch team." Softly, she added, "And I have you, too."

There was a brief pause, during which he considered her with amusement twinkling in his eyes. "That was bloody sentimental. I didn't know you had it in you."

"Shut up, Hawkins," she growled, although she said it a bit more playfully than usual.

He smirked. "There's the girl I know."

She smiled too and leaned forward to peer at the titles of the books in his arms. "So what's the bookworm reading these days?"

He shrugged. "A little bit of everything, although I found one chronicling the achievements of great Slytherin wizards who didn't use the Dark Arts to achieve their ends. That should be a good read."

Tyriana nodded. "Well, good luck. I've got a few more shops to visit before I meet my friends at the Three Broomsticks. See you later."

"Bye," he said.

Tyriana headed down the street, wondering why she couldn't stop grinning. She visited Honeydukes and browsed the sweets for a while but didn't buy anything. She could only guess how unhealthy Honeydukes' products wer. Her fitness-obsessed parents would have a fit if they saw the window display, let alone the interior. She also visited Zonko's Joke Shop, although she didn't buy anything there either.

Finally, two o'clock came and she joined Siobhan and Brielle in the Three Broomsticks Inn over mugs of Butterbeer. Neither Alara nor Delaney joined them, although Tyriana did spot the latter hurry in with Greyson about ten minutes after two. They shared a glass of Firewhiskey, laughing in a quintessentially drunk manner, before staggering back out.

When she told Siobhan and Brielle what she'd seen, both seemed impressed. "The lovebirds managed to leave Madam Puddifoot's? Impressive."

"Not to see us, though. They came to get alcohol."

"Yeah… maybe that isn't so impressive after all."

"So, I saw Julian in Tomes and Scrolls," Tyriana said suddenly. She had no idea why she said it; he was on her mind and the words came tumbling out.

Her friends leaned in. "And?"

"Well, it started awkward because I ran into him and he dropped his books but then we started talking. It almost got… flirty." She was almost as surprised as her friends were by the last word.

Brielle and Siobhan exchanged wide-eyed glances. "Holy shit."

"I know," Tyriana agreed. "What's happening?"

"You're falling for him," Siobhan said simply.

"But… I — I can't," she stammered. "The Quidditch match is one week away."

Brielle groaned, looking exasperated. "Take this from me: you are such a fucking numbskull."

Tyriana's jaw dropped. "What?!" Brielle, her most reliable friend, had never said a bad thing about her. Ever.

"You're so thick-headed and single-minded that it's more than ridiculous," Siobhan agreed. "Tyriana, what do you possibly think is going to go wrong?"

"He's the fucking Slytherin Seeker," she explained, her voice sharp and seething. "He's my opponent and I need to be entirely focused on catching the Snitch. Feelings can't get in the way." She stood up, tossed two sickles on the table to pay for her Butterbeer, and stormed out.

 **A/N:** Not a good note to ditch your friends on. Anyways, since the story is going back to an M rating I may re-upload some of the chapters that were previously heavily censored. If/when this happens is entirely dependent on if I have time. Completing new chapters will take the priority so that I can maintain this daily upload schedule. I just started number 30 out of the planned 35 chapters last night, so if I complete 1 chapter every day or two I should be done writing new content shortly and I can then focus on revising & uncensoring.

Thanks for reading! Please leave a review letting me know what you think.


	17. Forgive Me

**Chapter 17**

 **Forgive Me**

 **October 31st, 2013**

Halloween morning came around and Tyriana was miserable. She hadn't talked to her friends since their Hogsmeade visit. The worst part was that, as the match rapidly approached, she needed their support more than ever. She started leaning on Julian more and more, and he did the same with her. They were each other's support net. He became the new bright spot in her life.

Tyriana wasn't particularly upset that her friends had pointed out that she was falling for Julian; deep down she knew it, too. It was the truth. Confessing to having those feelings, even to herself, was no longer quite so scary. She knew now that he was no longer the bully that she had initially believed him to be. What frustrated her was how blunt and rude her friends had been. They didn't seem to understand what had, at least for most of the past two months, made complete sense to her: she couldn't let Julian become a distraction.

Her outburst at the Three Broomsticks had been one last attempt to protect herself from the attachment and inevitable shift in her perspective that she'd been dreading, the changes that she'd convinced herself would ruin her.

He was her direct opponent on the Quidditch field — the symbol of what she needed to overcome — and along with the attachment she now felt towards him came feelings and desires. She wanted him to be happy, and a Slytherin victory would do just that for him. She worried that, in the decisive moment of the match, she'd have a moment of weakness. She wouldn't be able to catch the Snitch because losing would hurt him.

Over the past few days she had been reconsidering that mentality and she'd come to the conclusion that her friends were right. She was being rather ridiculous, and she shouldn't be so afraid of her feelings for Julian. However, Tyriana wasn't the type to admit that she'd been wrong. She knew that she was overreacting, but she rationalized that the stress that she was under gave her an excuse to be a little volatile. Not only was the big match in a few days but she was also getting pranked by the Slytherins on a daily basis.

Normally, Tyriana would have looked forward to a holiday like Halloween. The Great Hall would be decorated in a festive yet spooky manner, and it was the perfect excuse to scare her friends. However, even though she knew perfectly well what day it was (how could she not? There was a doomsday countdown ticking in her head), she was still surprised to see the Halloween decorations when she entered the Great Hall for breakfast. Yawning sleepily, she took a seat next to Lydia. She'd grown fond of the tall brunette's company in her usual friends' absence.

"You look tired," Lydia said. "Are you going to be ready for the match on Saturday?"

"Of course. I'm going to get a good night's rest tonight." Tyriana hoped she sounded more convincing than she felt.

She began filling her plate. Like usual, she took considerably more care than many of her peers to select food with nutritional value. While she knew first-hand that magic was real, that hadn't entirely discredited her faith in Muggle science.

Tyriana had only just begun eating when something very odd happened.

In the blink of an eye, all of her clothes went from dry to soaking wet. The sudden shift in sensation was so surprising that she yelped and bolted to her feet. Her clothes were thoroughly sodden, and water was already dripping onto the floor. Even her socks and underwear had been affected.

"What the fuck?" She reached into a waterlogged pocket and pulled out her wand. All around her, people were pointing and laughing. Even a few Gryffindor's had joined in, and some of the staff seemed amused as well. Tyriana spotted a group of Slytherins fleeing back to their table, casting fiendish glances in her direction. _Of course_ , she thought. _It was the fucking Slytherins_.

"What's the matter, Gallagher?" one of them shouted from across the room. "Were the Halloween decorations so scary that you wet yourself?"

Tyriana scowled at them, refusing to let her cheeks turn as red as her beloved Quidditch robes. She was so distracted with an urgent need to dry herself that it didn't even occur to her to take points from the Slytherins.

Pointing her wand at her clothes, she said, " _Scourgify_!" Her clothes didn't dry, although she knew that the cleaning spell had worked since the few crumbs in her lap vanished. " _Tergeo_!" This spell, intended to siphon water, should've worked. Once again, there was no effect.

"Do you know of any spells to dry my clothes?" she asked Lydia, who shook her head. "I'll be back in a bit." She sloshed out of the Great Hall to the amusement of members of all four houses. Her shoes made a _squelch_ ing sound with every step and she left a trail of water droplets in her wake.

She tried a few more charms as she walked. Blowing hot air from her wand onto her clothes did not dry them; they seemed perpetually wet no matter what she did. Cursing under her breath, she headed to her room. She had to waddle, as the moisture was causing her legs to chafe unpleasantly.

" _Finite Incantatem_!" Even the spell designed to remove most enchantments failed to dry her clothes. She began to wonder if she'd been cursed to have wet clothes forever. If so, her plan to go to her room, dry off and change wouldn't work. She wouldn't be able to play in the Quidditch match with all of that weight, either, unless she was willing to play naked. That didn't sound like a good alternative, nor did she believe for a second that the faculty would allow it.

Hoping that she hadn't been cursed, she gave the suite's door the password and entered. She slogged straight across the common room to her bedroom, not bothering to close the door to the latter. Julian was at breakfast, so she'd have plenty of privacy. Besides, she suspected that she'd need to make at least one trip to the bathroom to dry off.

Tyriana stripped out of her sodden and unusually-heavy school robes and all of her undergarments before hurrying to the bathroom for a towel. Thankfully, she could still dry herself the Muggle way.

She was heading back to her room to pick a new outfit when the suite's door suddenly opened and Julian stepped in. Tyriana gasped and clutched at herself, trying to at least somewhat protect her modesty.

"Oh shit!" Julian immediately turned away from her, covering his eyes just to be safe. She could see his ears reddening as she scampered to her room and slammed the door.

 _Well, fuck_ , she thought as she leaned against the wall, running her hands through her (thankfully dry) hair. _That was awkward as hell_. _Thank Merlin he only saw me from the side. There are worse angles._ Tyriana took a deep breath and wondered if this was going to change anything between them. Of course, it wasn't a total surprise. She'd known, deep down, that there were going to be at least a few awkward moments with this living arrangement.

There was an uncertain knock on her door, the suddenness of it making her jump.

"Uh… Tyriana?" Julian sounded even more nervous than his knock implied. "I'm sure you're freaking out in there so, look, I just want to apologize. I saw what happened at breakfast and thought I'd come up and try to help you clean up. I should've realized that you'd be—"

"—I'm not mad, Julian," she said. "You're the one who's freaking out. And I appreciate the gesture. Uh, you wouldn't happen to know what spell they used, would you?"

"No, I'm afraid I don't. I didn't help with this one. I… I can't believe you aren't mad."

Tyriana bit her lip. _Why am I wishing that I hadn't covered up quite so fast_? _Why am I aroused_? The answer to those questions wasn't hard to guess, and she wasn't sure if she was okay with acknowledging those feelings or not. She swallowed. "It… It was an honest accident, Julian. A case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, as the Muggles say."

She selected a new, dry outfit and dressed herself. Thankfully, the spell she'd been humiliated with only seemed to apply to the clothes she'd been wearing at the time. Her new outfit was entirely dry.

She opened the door and found Julian standing about ten feet away, looking ridiculously guilty. His face was bright scarlet. She'd had no idea that he was capable of turning that shade.

"Calm down, will you? You're almost as red as a phoenix or — worse still — Gryffindor Quidditch robes. Since when were you such a prude? I know I'm not the first girl you've seen naked; I heard those two girls you shagged a few weeks ago."

"But you…"

"Did you at least like what you saw?" Tyriana joined him in blushing as soon as the words left her lips. They'd just come out. She did have an idea of what had motivated her to blurt that question: there was a faint heat smoldering in her abdomen and radiating throughout her body.

If it was possible, he turned redder. "What will you do if I say 'yes?'"

Frankly, she wasn't sure and she told him that.

"To be honest, I kinda did." He paused and took a step back, as if he was worried that she was going to punch him. "I'm sure you hear this all the time, Tyriana, but you're gorgeous."

"Been holding that one in for a while, haven't you?" she guessed.

Julian nodded slowly, still trying to anticipate how she was going to react. "I'm sorry for all my stupid comments about your hair, by the way."

"Julian, shut up and stop apologizing," she growled as she passed him. He hastily moved so that a broad no-man's-land separated them. Tyriana ignored his blatant defensiveness and hurried back down to finish breakfast. She got there in time to have a few more bites.

She might've stayed a few extra minutes to finish up, knowing that her first class wasn't absurdly far away, but a large group of Gryffindors offered to escort her to class so that the Slytherins wouldn't mess with her anymore. Refusing would have been rude, and she knew that they'd need time to get to their own classes after she arrived at her destination so she agreed and left immediately in the center of a sea of red and gold.

She was escorted between every class that day and thus, for the first time in a week, did not fall victim to a single Slytherin plot to humiliate or intimidate her for the rest of the day. Being surrounded by such a crowd was irksome, but not as embarrassing as being hexed by a Slytherin, so she forced herself to be grateful.

Julian had Quidditch practice after his classes so she didn't see him again until not long before dinner. She could tell that the morning's incident was still on his mind the moment that he entered the suite. His eyes hesitated to meet hers, as if he wanted to verify in his peripheral vision that she was dressed before daring to look in her direction. Even then, he seemed shifty and uncomfortable.

"You're still not mad?" he asked softly.

"I will be if you ask one more time," she said. Adopting a welcoming smile (which wasn't difficult anymore when she looked at him), she added, "You didn't see much. I mean, you'd see the same parts of me if I was wearing a bikini so it's not _that_ major of a revelation."

"I saw a bit more than that," he admitted, turning red again.

"Big deal," she said, her tone sarcastic. "That wasn't your fault. What's more important to me is that you immediately turned away."

While Tyriana appreciated the fact that he'd done his best to respect her privacy and look away, she had, over the course of the day, found herself thinking back to that moment and wishing that he'd looked for just a little bit longer. These thoughts infuriated her in a way, as she perceived herself as a strong and empowered woman. _Why the hell do I WANT him to look_? The answer had eventually come to her: she wanted him to be attracted to her. As her friends had said, she was falling for him and she craved signs that he felt the same way. She'd gotten that satisfaction when he'd admitted that she was gorgeous, and his apology for all of his comments about her hair indicated that he'd held that opinion for quite a while, but she wanted more.

That left an even more important question: was he romantically attracted to her as well? He was still giving her grief on a regular basis but it was not intended to insult her. It was a playful way of expressing his snide sense of humor. Otherwise he was very kind and compassionate with her; numerous examples came to mind from as far back as when he had volunteered to patrol alone after the Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts so that she could get her homework done.

Her thoughts made the jump to her school work. Knowing that her weekend was going to be full — with partying if Gryffindor won or with depression if they lost — she'd made an effort to finish all of her homework in the foreseeable future early. After a long week she'd managed to get as far ahead as was possible. Some of her teachers didn't announce assignments far in advance, though, so there was a chance that she'd still have work to do over the weekend.

She put the finishing touches on a Potions essay as Julian sat down to begin his own homework. Then, at dinner time, they headed down to the Great Hall together.

"I know what I need to do," she said, half to herself, as they walked.

"What's that?"

"I need to go to my friends and apologize," she said, having mulled this over for the past few hours.

"Probably," he agreed. She had told him that she'd had a little falling-out with a few of her friends but hadn't revealed why. "You need them," he said. "I can see it in your eyes. Remember what I said about finding more things that give your life meaning? You've done the exact opposite."

He was right, and Tyriana liked how well he could read her. She thought it made communication easier, as she was well-aware that she couldn't always be prompted to share her feelings on her own. He genuinely understood her in a way that few did; perhaps even better than she did herself.

"Your friends are your only anchor besides Quidditch," he was saying. "What if you lose on Saturday? You're going to need them more than ever."

She nodded. "I agree but you're wrong about one thing."

"What's that?"

"I have a third anchor."

"What's that?"

She grinned mischievously. "You'll have to wait and see."

His expression made it obvious that she'd triggered his curiosity. He was about to ask a question but it was right then that they turned into the Great Hall and they had to separate. They couldn't be seen being too friendly together, particularly two nights before the big match.

Tyriana waved to her players as she walked down the aisle towards her friends for the first time since Saturday. "Mind if I join you?" she asked, causing Brielle, Siobhan, Alara and Delaney to all look up from their plates.

"Of course," Brielle exclaimed. "How are you, Tyriana?"

She sighed. "I'm having my ups and my downs. Mostly downs. How are you ladies?"

Brielle, Siobhan, and Alara all said that they were doing well, although they added that they'd missed her. Delaney was another story. Her eyes were red and puffy, as if she'd been crying a lot recently. Refusing to make eye contact, she sniffed, "Greyson broke up with me!"

Tyriana had never been Greyson's biggest fan, nor had she approved of the way that his relationship with Delaney seemed to be conducted. She thought that they were a bit too focused on shagging, but she had been able to see that he made Delaney happy so she'd never voiced her concerns. "What happened?" she asked.

"He cheated," she snarled. "I caught him snogging another girl in the library! He's been seeing her for two bloody weeks and didn't have the balls to tell me! And they aren't just snogging and shagging; he's actually in love with her!"

"Holy shit. That _really_ sucks," Tyriana said, reaching across the table to hold Delaney's hand. "You deserve better than a guy who cheats."

Delaney smiled faintly. "Thank you, Tyriana. You're the best."

She shook her head. "I should've been here for you when you needed me." Speaking to all four of them, she said, "I'm sorry for everything. I know that I need you girls now more than ever and I should've heard you out, Brielle and Siobhan, before I left."

"It's not all your fault," Brielle admitted. "We were a bit blunt with you. We didn't know how else to get the message to sink in."

"Good friends can listen to each other, and I want to be best friends with you girls again. Please forgive me," Tyriana said.

"We forgive you," Siobhan said. "You said things have been going badly and I, for one, want to be there for you. What's going on?"

It was like Tyriana had opened the floodgates keeping all of her concerns safe within the confines of her own mind. Once she started talking, the words just flooded out.

"My life's insane right now. The Quidditch match is on Saturday and I want to believe that the team is ready but I just don't _know_. There are so many variables and so much that could go wrong! I think I trust the team but I don't know if I still have faith in myself. I'm so stressed and tired that I don't feel like I'm prepping for a _game_ anymore. Guys… I… I'm scared. Terrified, actually. And if that wasn't bad enough then there's Julian. I've been spending a lot of time with him and we're connecting. But then he walked in on me when I was naked today and everything's gotten so awkward. He's so embarrassed but I can't stop wishing that he wouldn't have looked away so fast. I… I know I'm falling for him and I want to see a sign that he feels the same but I still don't feel comfortable with playing Quidditch against someone that I have those feelings for. What if I can't bring myself to beat him? What if I empathize with him and let him win?"

She took a deep breath and waited as her friends digested everything that she'd just said.

"First of all, Tyriana," Brielle began, speaking slowly and carefully. "All of your Quidditch anxiety only exists in your own head. You have great players and if anyone can train a good Quidditch team it's you. You have to trust that they feel just as motivated as you do and that they will play their best."

Siobhan picked up where Brielle had left off. "I wouldn't worry about yourself, Tyriana. Remember in your second year when you tried out for Seeker and beat a sixth year for the position? He'd been on the team for two years! You'd never had any formal training and your instincts were just _so_ good that you made him look as clumsy in the air as an elephant. You were natural on a broomstick. No matter what you'll get up there and do amazing."

Tyriana resisted the urge to say, "But I don't _feel_ like a natural these days." She didn't want to interrupt the stream of positivity her friends were sending her way.

It was Alara's turn. "Don't worry about Julian. It's perfectly possible to compete against someone you care for, Tyriana. You're a competitor at heart and compassion won't stop you from sealing the deal. Frame it in your head like it's just a friendly competition to determine the best Seeker and nothing more."

Delaney nodded in agreement. "Tyriana, you're only putting more pressure on yourself by remembering the context of this match. It's stressing you out and destroying your passion. If you change your mindset I think you'll feel and perform better without the extra pressure. Also, the idea that you won't be able to finish the job because of your feelings is absolutely absurd. You always play your hardest; it doesn't matter who you're against. That's just who you are. You could play against a team of first-years and you still wouldn't show mercy. I know that sounds cruel but on the Quidditch field that attitude wins matches. You aren't the type to surrender. Everyone knows that."

Tyriana nodded slowly. "I like that reframing idea. I think you girls are right; the context of the match is what's giving me all of this anxiety." She resolved to spend her time after dinner convincing herself that the impending match was no more than a friendly competition with Julian. "Now, frankly, I'd love an excuse to think about anything other than Quidditch and Julian. Tell me something. What've you got?"

 **A/N** : Reviews are very welcome. ;-)


	18. Nerves and Misgivings

**Chapter 18**

 **Nerves and Misgivings**

 **November 1st, 2013**

Tyriana awoke from the best night of sleep she'd had in well over a week — which she considered to be decent timing since the match was just over 24 hours away — and dressed herself. When she stepped out into the common room, she saw that Julian was asleep in his armchair, wearing only a pair of shorts. She guessed that he'd been restless in the middle of the night and had left his room only to finally fall asleep. Not wanting him to miss breakfast, she tapped him on the shoulder.

"Julian!" she whispered. Nothing. " _Julian_!" Again, louder this time.

Finally, he stirred. "What?" he mumbled.

Resisting the urge to get sidetracked by how attractive his undertone was, she said, "It's almost breakfast time."

"Oh. Thanks." He groaned and stretched.

"You sound like an old man," she teased as she went into the bathroom.

"Is that the best insult you can dream up?" He was gingerly getting up.

She chuckled. "You wish. You move _and_ look like an old man, too."

"Shut up, Gallagher." He was massaging the back of his neck now.

"You're so feeble," she continued, heading back to her room. He made a grab for her but she danced out of his reach on short but nimble legs. "You're only proving my point. You better hurry up or I'm going to be heading down to breakfast on my own."

He growled in frustration. "Hold on a second." He disappeared into his room and returned hardly a minute later dressed and ready to go. He looked ten times more awake than he had going in.

Tyriana raised her eyebrows in admiration.

"Stop being so cute," he muttered. "It's killing me."

She grinned. "I'll do anything to handicap you on the Quidditch Field tomorrow."

"Anything?" he repeated, taking his turn to raise his eyebrows.

"Well, maybe not _any_ thing."

They continued bantering on the way down to the Great Hall. The game wasn't for another twenty five hours but Tyriana could already see students displaying the scarlet and gold of Gryffindor and the green and silver of Slytherin as they ate.

"Time to return to being bitter rivals," he murmured, leaving her side and heading for the Slytherin table.

She gave him her most intimidating glare. As she walked along the Gryffindor table, she paused to have a brief word with each of her players. "Practice is cancelled today; we're as ready as we're ever going to be. Get some rest or finish your homework. I want you fresh, focused and relaxed tomorrow."

Finally, she joined her friends.

"How'd you sleep?" Brielle asked.

"Better, thankfully."

"Good. You're going to need to be well-rested for the match."

Tyriana turned her attention to Delaney, who was only showing faint echoes of her usual vivacious energy. "How're you doing?"

"I'm coping. I saw Greyson this morning and seeing him looking so _normal_ pissed me off so much that I almost punched him, though."

"If you knocked his teeth down his throat he'd taste his own medicine," Alara said. She seemed more concerned than the other girls by Delaney's situation. It was no secret that her relationship was structured remarkably similarly to the one Delaney had just lost, so Tyriana suspected that she'd be testing the waters with her Hufflepuff boyfriend very soon to make sure that they were both solid.

A swarm of Gryffindors escorted her throughout the day again. Tyriana noticed that tensions were unusually high, even in classrooms. The whole school — even the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws — knew how important this match was. It would determine if Slytherin was on the way to its tenth Quidditch Cup in a row or not. This was the pivotal match of the whole season. Even the teachers were invested, and very few seemed eager to stage serious lessons or assign a significant load of homework for the weekend.

Everywhere she went, Tyriana received pats on the back and words of encouragement. These well-wishers were primarily Gryffindors, although there were also numerous Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws who were eager to see Slytherin lose. If Gryffindor won, all four houses would conceivably have a fair shot at the championship. If Gryffindor lost, there was a high chance that yet another season would devolve into the predictable narrative of Slytherin dominance.

Everyone seemed to believe that if Tyriana's Gryffindors couldn't beat Slytherin then nobody could. It was impossible.

 _Don't succumb to the pressure_ , she told herself. _This is just you against Julian to see who can catch the Snitch first. It's nothing more than that._ Of course, convincing herself of this was easier said than done, particularly when she was the team Captain and would have to maintain a wider perspective during the match. In a way, this gave Julian an advantage. He wouldn't have to be the one to request timeouts and he wasn't obligated to coordinate and motivate his team.

Lunch was even more raucous than breakfast had been. The Slytherin and Gryffindor tables seemed determined to beat each other at everything from talking the loudest to inventing the best insults and pranks. The only limit was that everything had to be done without irritating the staff beyond reason or else it would all be over in no time.

Everyone around Tyriana was pressuring her to be ruthless and destroy the Slytherins. She nodded along.

A Slytherin bewitched his lunch to fly across the room and hit her. A scrawny third year Gryffindor jumped up like a bodyguard and took the shot. "Thanks," she said, pulling out her wand. " _Scourgify_!" The mess disappeared.

Tyriana's afternoon classes flew by in a blur and before she knew it, she was sitting on the couch in her common room again, her head in her hands. At this point, she was wishing that the game could begin right then and there. _I'll do anything to get this over with_ , she thought. _I just want to live my life_.

Julian entered. "You look miserable. Can I sit?"

She nodded and he settled next to her. To her surprise, he started massaging her upper back and shoulders. The tension in her body evaporated under his firm fingers and she had to stifle a helpless purr of relief and (she was surprised to note) pleasure. _Since when have shoulder massages been so erotic_?

"I think we both need to relax," he said.

"You sound like you have an idea."

"I do. The Prefect's Bathroom is right next door. I was thinking a long bath sounded pretty good."

"You want me to join you," she inferred.

He swallowed. "Uh, that's one way of putting it. Look, the bath's huge. Surely there's plenty of space for both of us, Gallagher."

Tyriana nodded. "Alright. Just give me a minute to change." She dug around in her dresser until she found the one and only swimsuit she'd brought. _This bikini is way too skimpy for the occasion_ , she thought as she took a look at herself in the mirror. _He's going to think that I aim to seduce him before the match, which I definitely don't… right_? Unsure of her own intentions, she put a tank-top on over the swimsuit and stepped out of her room.

Julian was waiting for her, wearing only a pair of swim trunks that hung quite low on his hips. She tried to ignore the wave of heat that radiated out from her core as her eyes drunk in that welcome sight. _Or is he trying to seduce me_?She didn't think he was, judging by his insistence that there would be plenty of room for both of them."Shall we go?"

Tyriana peeked out into the hall before scurrying over to the Prefect's Bathroom. She didn't want anybody to see her and Julian together, particularly the afternoon before the big match. He locked the door behind them.

She'd been in the Prefect's Bathroom once before. Her status as Quidditch Captain the previous year had given her access to the room and she'd visited just to say that she'd been. This was her first time entering with the actual intent of taking a bath. When Julian asked what tap she liked she didn't have an answer. "You pick."

Within a few minutes the massive tub was filled with warm, soapy water. Tyriana slipped her tank-top over her head and laid it down on the edge. Glancing up, she caught him staring.

"Enjoying yourself?"

He blushed. "Sorry."

Unsure of whether she wanted to encourage him to look or not, she kept her mouth shut and hopped into the tub. The warm, soothing water enveloped her body, relaxing muscles that she hadn't even realized had been tense. She treaded water for a moment before retreating so that she was serenely floating with her back rested against the wall of the tub. "This feels _so_ good. Wonderful idea, Julian."

"I like to come here before big tests and other stressful stuff," he said, moving around the edge of the pool before getting in at the opposite end. "It takes away all of the tension and helps me focus."

"Smart," she commented. "Why are you all of the way over there?"

"Well, I thought that you'd want some privacy after what happened yesterday."

Tyriana shook her head. "I'd rather be able to talk to you without having to raise my voice."

He swam over, his face a little uncertain, and joined her in leaning against the same wall of the tub. She noted that he kept a few feet between them. Her body was aching to close that distance, but the eve of their big match did not seem like the right time to move their relationship on to the next level.

For a long moment, they were both silent. Tyriana closed her eyes and savored the sensations of the warm water caressing her skin with its invisible fingers.

"It's funny, in an ironic kind of way, isn't it?" he said suddenly.

"What is?"

"Well, our houses are as sharply divided as I can ever remember them being. I don't know what the Gryffindor side is like, but Slytherins have been encouraging me to hate you guys more than ever. You and I are supposed to be the bitterest of rivals — as far apart from each other as possible — yet in this moment I feel closer to you than ever."

She nodded slowly. "I feel the same way. At this point I just want all of it to end."

"Me too. All of the worst qualities Slytherin possesses are coming out right now, and…" His voice trailed off. She opened her eyes and glanced at him. He was slowly shaking his head in apparent sadness. After a moment he looked up at her, hurt and earnesty in his eyes. "I… One of the Slytherin Chasers came up to me today and told me to rape you. I think it was supposed to be a metaphor for my performance in the match tomorrow but… still… for Merlin's sake, I've never hated Slytherin more than I did at that moment."

Tyriana suppressed the wave of nausea that swept through her. "No one should ever act in a way that's comparable to rape, let alone tell someone to do it to someone else."

He nodded. "That's what I thought. I wanted to yell at him, to explain to him why he was wrong, but I couldn't. I knew that word would get around that I had a soft spot for a 'Gryffindor Mudblood,' to use their words, and I'd be an outcast. My parents would hear about it and my Dad would never forgive me. He would disown me and take away everything I have. I just couldn't risk it."

"I understand," she said softly. "We both have our roles to play tomorrow."

"Tomorrow…" he repeated thoughtfully. "I don't know what to hope for tomorrow. I don't know if I want to catch the Snitch. Can you imagine how arrogant the other Slytherins will be if they win? And the other Houses will be crushed, for sure."

"You'll be their hero," she pointed out.

"The hero of a house that, in its current form, I'd be hard-pressed to say I believe in. Is it possible to be a hero by winning the battle for the villains?" he asked. "I mean, if someone documented these past ten seasons the Slytherins would be portrayed as the villains, right?"

"I suppose so. That's certainly how it felt from my perspective," she said.

He sighed. "I don't know if I want Gryffindor to win tomorrow. I don't want to win it for the Slytherins, but I don't want to be remembered as the one who ended my house's winning streak, either."

"I don't know what to tell you," she said. "What happens is what happens, I think."

He nodded. "No matter how tomorrow ends, I understand that you're going to do what you need to do and I hope you understand that I'm going to do the same."

"I do. Good luck."

"Thanks. Good luck to you, too, Tyriana."

They were both quiet for a long moment, basking in the relaxing sensations the massive tub provided and thinking about the day to come.

"I don't want the outcome to affect us," she finally said. "I like you a lot, Julian, and I don't want that to change."

"It won't. We both just agreed that we'll both do whatever is necessary. We won't take the other's actions personally, yes?"

"Yes."

There was another lengthy period of relaxing and contemplative silence.

"For your sake, Tyriana, I hope you win tomorrow. Or, at the very least, I hope you find a way to live with whatever happens."

"I will," she said. "I hope you find a satisfactory solution to your dilemma." She turned and hauled herself out of the tub. Wrapping her body in a towel and retrieving her tank-top, she hesitated before leaving. "Julian?"

"Yeah?"

"I… I want you to try tomorrow, okay? I know how much Quidditch means to you and I want you to enjoy the game, too. Whatever you do, don't just let me win."

He gave her a quintessentially Slytherin smirk. "Don't worry, Tyriana. I'll give you a run for your money whether I want to catch the Snitch or not."

 **A/N** : I love Tyriana & Julian's conversation in the Prefect's Bathroom and I hope you enjoyed it too. I think the positions they've found themselves in on the eve of the big match is very interesting. Tomorrow's chapter is the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Quidditch game so it's time to get hyped! Does anyone have any predictions? Leave a review and let me know what you think.


	19. The Match

**Chapter 19**

 **The Match**

 **November 2nd, 2013**

Tyriana opened her eyes and glanced at her watch. _Well, two hours of sleep is better than none_ , she thought groggily. She rolled out of bed and took a peek out the window. The sky was cloudy but didn't seem to threaten rain. She opened the window and felt the temperature. It wasn't too cold, and there wasn't a particularly strong breeze. Considering that it was November, these were pretty good Quidditch conditions.

She dressed herself in a sweatshirt and jeans, put her hair in a ponytail, and headed out to the common room. Hawkins was sitting there, looking at a book. Based on the speed with which he was flipping through the pages, she was pretty sure that he couldn't actually be reading — or even skimming — any of it. _Must be a nervous habit_ , she thought. "Good morning."

" _Good_ morning?" he repeated. "More like _scary_ morning."

"I'm glad to hear that I'm not imagining the pressure."

"No, you most certainly are not. Ready to go to breakfast?"

"Um, I think we should go separately today," she said. "If we keep going together and chatting — especially today — people are going to get suspicious."

"You're probably right. I'll pretend to hate you for the rest of today."

"Just today."

"Just today," he snickered. "You go first."

"Alright. Good luck, Julian."

"Thanks. Good luck to you, too, Tyriana."

Smiling in spite of the queasiness of her stomach, Tyriana headed down to the Great Hall. About half of the students were wearing scarlet and gold. A quarter wore green and silver and another quarter didn't demonstrate any allegiance. As she walked down the Gryffindor table, she paused to give each of her players encouragement. "Make sure to eat some breakfast. You're going to need the energy."

She then took her usual seat with her friends, all of whom were garishly dressed in rather obnoxious scarlet and gold clothes to show their support for Gryffindor. Only wizardkind could call their outfits fashionable. She knew that a Muggle would be horrified.

"Ready for the game?" Brielle asked, her voice bubbling with excitement.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Tyriana said, piling her plate with the healthiest dishes she could find. She placed a high priority on protein-rich foods, knowing that she was going to need a lot of energy. Quidditch matches didn't have a time limit, so she needed to be prepared for anything from a five minute quickie to a day-long affair. Tyriana's stomach didn't feel up to eating but she did so anyway, telling herself that it was just nerves that was making her feel sick.

The Slytherins were jeering across the room. She paid them no mind. There was about an hour until she'd be walking out onto the field. It was then that she'd show them what she was capable of.

There was a crowd of Gryffindors near her, seemingly torn between moving closer to give her encouragement and giving her some space. She wasn't sure which she preferred either.

After she finished eating she gathered the team and led them down to the Quidditch pitch. The stands were decorated with both Gryffindor and Slytherin banners. The team headed into the locker room and changed into their scarlet Quidditch robes. Tyriana hefted her Firebolt Supreme and stepped up on a bench so that they could all see her.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. I won't pretend that this is not the biggest match of the year, because it certainly is. You know what's at stake. Slytherin is looking to win the Quidditch Cup for the tenth consecutive year. _WE. WILL. NOT. LET. THAT. HAPPEN_. The Slytherin team beat us by ten points last year; ten measly points. This team is better than last year's, so never have a second of doubt that we can do this. Never doubt yourselves, as you are the most talented Quidditch players that Gryffindor has to offer. You have been performing perfectly in training. Never doubt each other, as you all have bonded over the past two months into a powerhouse Quidditch team. You all feel the same need to beat the Slytherins. Never doubt the support of your house, either. They're all behind you and wishing us all the best. We only get one shot at this so let's leave it all on the field. Good luck to you all. Let's line up."

Tyriana led her team to the door and then walked down the line, giving each player specific encouragement. As she did so, she could hear the murmur of voices in the crowd above their heads and the commentator, a Hufflepuff named Blake Leonard, introducing the Slytherin team. He would talk in a rather neutral tone until he got to a player's name, which was when he'd switch to a booming announcer's voice that echoed through the stadium. He liked to roll the name off his tongue, emphasizing and dragging out specific syllables. Tyriana thought he was trying a little too hard to make each player's name sound magnificent and magestic. _He is being way too theatrical, like usual_.

"First on the field is the Slytherin Captain and Chaser CALLUM PICKERING! He's followed by Chasers OWEN CHANDLER and ARLO HURST! Next up are the Slytherin Beaters, MARCUS RANDALL and XAVIER DUNCAN! Keeper COREY BRADSHAW follows them. Last to step onto the field is the Head Boy and Slytherin's Seeker: JULIAN HAWKINS!"

One side of the stadium erupted with applause after each name was announced. The other was mostly silent, although a few booes were audible.

Tyriana returned to the head of the Gryffindor line.

"Now for the Gryffindors," said Leonard, and Tyriana took her cue to proudly lead her team onto the field. "First up is the Gryffindor Captain, Seeker and Head Girl TYRIANA GALLAGHER!" She waved to the crowd and was met with boisterous cheers from the Gryffindors and thunderous boos from the Slytherins. Thankfully, the former (with assistance from the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws) drowned out the latter. "Next up is the Gryffindor Chaser Squad of TAQUIN DONNELLY, HUGH ADDISON, and JESSAMINE HOLLOWAY! Following them are the Gryffindor Beaters, OSCAR NORTON and THEO LYONS! Finally, the Gryffindor Keeper, LYDIA FAULKNER!"

Tyriana led her team to join the Slytherins and the referee, Madam Hooch, in the center of the field.

"Captains shake hands," said Madam Hooch.

Tyriana got her hand thoroughly crushed by the bear paw of Callum Pickering. She gazed up at his glaring eyes and returned the look. Then, glancing down the line of Slytherin players, she said, "Where're the ladies?"

The Slytherin team was composed of tall sixth and seventh year boys, all of whom displayed arrogant scowls. Julian was the only exception, as he was noticeably shorter and perceptively eying the Gryffindor team with a stony expression.

"We don't need girls on our team," Callum Pickering retorted.

Tyriana rolled her eyes. "You have no idea what you're missing."

"Alright, alright, that's enough," Madam Hooch interrupted. "I know tensions are running high but that does not justify any foul play. I want a clean, fair game. Now, mount your brooms."

Tyriana swung her leg over her Firebolt Supreme and rolled her neck a few times in each direction.

Madam Hooch blew her whistle. Fourteen players and a referee rose into the sky, along with the four Quidditch balls.

Leonard began commentating immediately. "And they're off! This is a huge match-up between Gryffindor and Slytherin. It's always important to see who gets the Quaffle first. An early lead is up for grabs. Chandler of Slytherin comes out with it. He's dashing up the field, flanked by Hurst. Gryffindor Beater Lyons sends a Bludger hurtling in that direction — whoa, direct hit — he's got great aim! Chandler drops the Quaffle and Hurst catches it. He dodges Gryffindor Chaser Donnelly, makes a fast push for the goalpost, and throws! Keeper Faulkner dives — SLYTHERINS SCORE! 10-0 Slytherin."

Tyriana groaned. Of course, Lydia had always been a little slow to find her rhythm. As Tyriana passed the Gryffindor goalposts, she yelled, "You can do this! You'll be warmed up in no time!"

Lydia nodded, her eyes laser-focused on the Quaffle, which was being carried by Taquin Donnelly towards the Slytherin goalposts.

"Gryffindor Chaser Donnelly passes to Addison — who dodges a Bludger at the last second! He passes to Holloway, who passes back to Donnelly, who throws… AND IT'S BLOCKED BY THE SLYTHERIN KEEPER! The Slytherins are back in possession; that's Owen Chandler zipping up the field. He passes to Pickering — WAS THAT THE SNITCH?!"

Tyriana whirled her head and her broom around, almost giving herself whiplash in the process. She'd been too focused on her team's lackluster performance to look for the telltale glint of gold. It wasn't often that the Snitch appeared this early. And there it was, on the other side of the field. Hawkins was in pursuit, his fingers reaching…

Tyriana's heart sunk as she leaned forward, urging her Firebolt Supreme to accelerate to its maximum speed. She was hurtling across the field like a rocket to intercept but there wasn't enough time.

"Hawkins is reaching for the Snitch… he might just get it and end the game right now… OUCH! He's hit in the shoulder by a Bludger, courtesy of Gryffindor Beater Norton, and… did anybody see where the Snitch went?"

It had disappeared and the game continued, but Tyriana had learned her lesson. Last year Gryffindor had lost because she'd been so focused on catching the Snitch that she hadn't noticed her team was more than 150 points behind. This year, they'd almost lost because she'd been too focused on the team's deficit. _I need to find a good balance, and fast_ , she thought.

Leonard's commentary continued. "Hawkins appears to be fine after that Bludger hit. The Chasers — who were understandably distracted by the Seekers pursuing the Snitch — resume play with the Quaffle. Pickering heads for the Gryffindor hoops, where Keeper Faulkner is looking to stop him. He throws… INCREDIBLE SAVE BY THE GRYFFINDOR KEEPER! She throws it to Addison, who streaks across the field before anybody can stop him. Can he tie up the game? He heads towards the goalposts. Keeper Bradshaw is waiting for him. Bradshaw dives — wow, nice feint by Addison, he passes to Holloway instead — SHE SCORES! Both teams are tied at ten points."

Tyriana pumped her fist. That was the only celebration she allowed herself. She was glad to see that focusing the majority — but not all — of her attention on searching for the Snitch didn't hamper the team's performance. _I have to have faith that they can handle themselves_ , she told herself. _I've just got to keep an eye on the score and regularly check to see if anybody needs a timeout._

Blake Leonard was still commentating. "If you look up high, ladies and gentlemen, you can see the Seekers. Look at Hawkins soaring up there like a hawk, searching for any sign of the Snitch. He does indeed take after his namesake, although with eyesight like his I think his surname should have involved an eagle. Of course, when it comes to eyes one can never forget the Gryffindor Captain and Seeker Tyriana Gallagher. It's a shame her surname doesn't evoke any obvious meaning, although I'd never sell her any shorter than she is. You can never count her out; her eyes are amazing, too. I mean, if you'd seen them you'd know what I mean. They're the most captivatingly brilliant shade of blue I've ever seen, and I've spent a lot of time—"

"—LEONARD!" Professor McGonagall yelled, "COMMENTATE THE BLOODY MATCH!"

"Of course. Sorry, Professor. Uh... Hurst has the Quaffle. Look at him fly! Dodges a Bludger, takes a second one to the chest and drops the Quaffle — that's the least of his concerns as he almost falls off his broom! Gryffindor gets possession of the Quaffle at midfield. Donnelly has it, he's looking to follow-up on Holloway with a score of his own. He weaves, aims for the right post but throws left, Keeper Bradshaw misses the save, GRYFFINDOR SCORES! 20-10, advantage Gryffindor."

The game went on. It had started unexpectedly civil — there were few fouls in the first ten minutes — but by the thirty minute mark the Slytherins were starting to play dirtier.

"Don't let them goad you!" Tyriana yelled to her team. "We play fair!"

As it turned out, the regular fouls against Slytherin gave Taquin, Hugh, and Jessamine several opportunities a piece to take penalty shots. After an hour, the score stood thus: Gryffindor 90, Slytherin 50. Both teams' had strong enough defensive strategies that neither was finding it very easy to score.

The Snitch had not appeared again since the early minutes of the game. Tyriana was doing everything she could to hold her frustration at bay; everybody on her team had already performed several admirable plays — except for her. The Chasers were scoring about as frequently as could possibly be expected given the fortitude of the Slytherins' defense, the Beaters were regularly bombarding the enemy with Bludgers, and Lydia was saving more shots than Tyriana could count. Now was the perfect time to catch the Snitch but it was nowhere to be found.

At an hour-and-a-half into the match, there was a sudden roar of voices in the audience from one of the towers in the stands. Looking, Tyriana saw a little fluttering speck of gold. She spun her broom around and flew towards it as fast as she could.

"The Seekers have spotted the Snitch — both of them are heading for it… it's a race! Hawkins is fast but Gallagher is faster on that Firebolt Supreme. Can she catch him? Yes, she passes him like he's standing still. Merlin's beard, look at her go! The Snitch senses her coming, it zips away heading straight for that incoming Bludger — WATCH OUT! Gallagher ducks the Bludger! That was a close one! Here comes Hawkins! They're neck-and-neck! Gallagher puts on a burst of speed!"

Tyriana's eyes were locked on the Snitch, knowing that now was the time. Gryffindor was in the lead. It was only fifteen feet out of her reach, now ten…

Her eyes caught a green blur swerving into her peripheral vision and she instinctively dodged it, her focus leaving the Snitch for the briefest moment.

"Slytherin Beater Xavier Duncan blocks Gallagher — that's a foul, and a dishonorable one at that — and both Seekers appear to have lost sight of the Snitch. Gryffindor Chaser Holloway gets the Quaffle at midfield and goes to take the penalty shot. She aims, she throws… Bradshaw blocks it and tosses the Quaffle to Captain Callum Pickering, who takes off up the field. He's flying like a maniac and it's all Gryffindor can do to try and slow him down."

Tyriana was scouring the area in which the Snitch had disappeared. She found nothing. Frustrated that Duncan's cheating had cost her the victory, she resumed flying high above the pitch, looking for even the smallest hints of gold.

At the two-and-a-half hour mark, the score was 190-110 in the favor of Gryffindor. The crowd had quieted significantly and was growing restless. Blake Leonard had stopped commentating every moment and was now only calling the major plays and scores for the sake of not losing his voice.

Tyriana's stomach was rumbling with hunger, her body telling her that it was lunch time. She was starting to feel embarrassed. Her team was performing so well and she just couldn't capture the Snitch. She began to wonder if it was directly behind her and started regularly looking over her shoulder out of sheer paranoia. _The good news is that Hawkins hasn't found it again either_ , she reminded herself.

By the time that four hours had elapsed, spectators were beginning to return to the castle _en masse_. There was still no sign of the Snitch. Gryffindor held the lead with 250 points over Slytherin's 150.

Tyriana had been shifting regularly on her broom to prevent her legs from cramping, although she realized that her players might not know to do this. Given how seldom the Snitch had been making appearances, she thought that it was safe to briefly abandoning her search in order to communicate with her team.

The Gryffindors began following her lead and making sure to stretch and move their legs every once and awhile. This hampered their performance slightly but had a major pay-off when, in the fifth hour, the Slytherins began to fall victim to cramps. Gryffindor surged ahead in the score as the Slytherins couldn't seem to play defense and endure the pain at the same time. By the game's seventh hour, the score stood thus: 490 for Gryffindor and 200 for Slytherin.

Tyriana could tell that everybody was disappointed with the Seekers' performances. She felt embarrassed and furious at the same time. It took all of her self-control to keep a straight head and remind herself that this wasn't necessarily her fault. The Snitch had appeared a third time almost two hours ago and she would've caught it if it hadn't been for two Bludgers. Both of her near-catches had been interrupted by forces that she couldn't control, and one of those had been a foul.

Her heart ached as she saw Hawkins suffering from what appeared to be a particularly nasty cramp in the eighth hour. She flew up alongside him without even thinking about how it would look to the spectators.

"Move your legs and shift positions more often and that won't happen."

He gingerly shifted positions and grimaced. "Thanks. For Merlin's sake, where's the Snitch?"

"I don't know. I swear I've looked everywhere about a million times."

"I know how you feel. At this point I don't care who catches it. All I want is for this bloody game to end before nightfall."

She nodded. "It has to be within the boundaries of the stadium. It's bewitched so it can't leave."

Hawkins' eyes lit up as he had an idea. "There's no altitude limit, though. I bet you it's up above the clouds."

Tyriana looked up and studied the gray sky. "You're probably right." She pointed her Firebolt Supreme skyward and shot into the clouds. Her eyesight was drastically hampered for a moment. She hated flying blind. Finally, she burst through the clouds and into the open sky — only to find another layer of clouds a few thousand feet above her. Tyriana tried to figure out where the playable area was. Unfortunately, the clouds blocked her view of the stadium below, so she could no longer see the boundaries. Even if she had been able to orient herself, any and all points of reference would have immediately become inaccurate since the clouds were moving both below and above her. Knowing that, as a player, she wasn't allowed to leave the borders of the stadium either, she decided that the safest thing to was to fly straight up and look in every direction.

She ascended relatively slowly, not wanting to miss anything. To her left she saw Julian come through the clouds and begin his own search.

Tyriana had no perspective of time. All she knew was that the sun was getting lower and lower in the sky. It would be dusk soon. Her stomach rumbled. A hot meal sounded divine. The air was cold and dry, chapping her lips. Water sounded even better than food. She considered pulling her wand out of her Quidditch robes and alleviating her discomforts but she knew that it was against the rules. No magic was allowed during the match. Nobody but Hawkins would see it but she didn't want an unfair advantage to be what won the match for her.

Tyriana flew higher. The air was starting to get thinner. Her head began to ache and her heart was beating faster than it should have. She could feel it pounding in her chest and in her ears. She was panting despite having been quite sedentary on her broomstick for the past eight hours. Her stomach was getting queasy again and her body felt weak and sluggish.

She kept glancing at Julian to make sure that he hadn't caught the Snitch. Thankfully, he hadn't.

Tyriana burst through the next layer of clouds. If the Snitch had been hiding in there then the match would probably go on for days before either Seeker found it.

And then she saw it: a little glimmer of gold in the distance with a larger shape in green-and-silver robes deftly pursuing. The Snitch was fleeing higher in the sky. Tyriana took off after it. Hawkins was close, but she was gaining. Her superior broomstick and her lighter weight was a major advantage when ascending. The wind was a lot stronger at this altitude, though, and she found herself being buffeted around. She was nearly knocked off course several times.

Tyriana gritted her teeth and pushed on. If she hadn't long ago accepted that magic didn't obey scientific laws she might have wondered how the Snitch's wings seemed unimpeded by how thin the air was.

She passed Hawkins.

"Get the bloody thing!" he shouted.

She would've responded but her lungs couldn't get enough oxygen to do so. She felt almost like she was choking. Numbness was spreading through her body. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as it tried to sustain her but that seemed to her like a futile effort. Human beings weren't meant to survive at this altitude for any period of time, particularly when they weren't acclimated to it.

The Snitch was almost in reach. She stretched her arm out, numb fingers grasping at the thin air…

Tyriana became aware of a whining sound. _That's so odd_ , she thought groggily. _The Snitch doesn't sound like that_. There was a sensation of pins-and-needles that somehow seemed to be in her brain. It was drowning out all other thought.

Her vision was going fuzzy. Tyriana blinked rapidly, trying to get a clearer view of the Snitch, but couldn't seem to focus on it. She felt lightheaded and dizzy, yet her skull also seemed to weigh a million pounds. Her neck couldn't support the load anymore and her head slumped backwards.

Tyriana's eyes closed against her will and everything went black as she passed out. The last sensation she registered was falling.


	20. The Results

**Chapter 20**

 **The Results**

 **November 2nd, 2013**

Tyriana awoke with a start. Her memory kicked in and her heart rate instantly tripled when she remembered the last sensation she'd felt: falling. Adrenalin surged through her body.

Her senses returned to her an instant later and, inexplicably, Tyriana realized that she was no longer falling. She wondered if she'd been out for so long that she'd dropped all of the way to the ground. _No, that can't be right_ , she thought. _I would be dead, and I don't feel dead_. The sensation she felt was more like a steady descending than falling or lying.

More sensory information returned to her brain. Someone was holding her. The air was still thin, but at least she was getting enough oxygen now to sustain herself. Her whole body felt horrible, but the sensations weren't quite as bad as they had been before she passed out. Curious to see what had happened, she opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was Julian's face. In his eyes she saw fatigue, strain and, most prominently, concern. She noted that his gaze was alternating between her and something in the distance.

"What happened?" she murmured between deep breaths of oxygen. Breathing had never felt so good.

"You fell off your broom," he panted. The thin air seemed to be affecting him, too, although not quite as badly. "I used _Mobilicorpus_ and caught you. We're descending now."

Looking down, she saw that he was steering with his legs while his arms held her. Technically his use of magic during the match had earned Gryffindor a penalty shot, but she didn't plan to tell Madam Hooch. He'd saved her life and, as she'd learned from Brielle, punishing those who helped never ended well. "Let me mount the broom so you can steer," she said. It was like a wire act as they changed positions while balancing on the flying broom and resisting the wind's efforts to knock them off. Carefully, he turned her body so that she could take a position in front of him. He was then able to reach around her and steer the front of the broomstick.

Neither of them bothered to mention how awkward the position was. The front of the Nimbus 2010 not have the cushioning charm that the back did, so Tyriana was straddling the wood shaft itself. Their bodies were positioned like they were spooning. The front couple of inches of the broom's shaft poked out from between her legs and that was what Julian was holding to steer. His wrists kept brushing against her inner thighs and pelvis, although both had an unspoken understanding that this contact was not intentional nor sexual in nature.

Tyriana sensed that Julian's eyes was still returning regularly to something in the distance. Following his gaze, she saw a glint of gold. The Snitch had been within sight the whole time, yet his first priority had been rescuing her and getting her comfortable. However, he hadn't forgotten it either, since catching it was their ticket to ending the game and getting safely back to the ground. Her heart swooned.

"Go get it," she told him.

Tyriana sensed that Julian was a bit gentle with his acceleration for fear of unseating her. The Snitch seemed to sense them approaching. She worried that it would head up again but, thankfully, this time it dove.

"Don't hold back!" she yelled over the wind as they pursued it. "I can hold on."

Their combined weight had them accelerating at a blistering speed. The broom was vibrating underneath them, clearly not designed to be stressed in this manner. The Snitch was getting closer and closer.

Tyriana forgot that she wasn't the one flying the broom. As the Snitch came into reach she deftly caught it. Feeling the cold metal ball in her hand had never felt so good.

Julian decelerated gradually and pulled up a bit, flattening their dive somewhat. Tyriana raised both of her arms in giddy celebration.

One of Julian's hands released the broom handle and pulled out his wand. " _Accio Firebolt Supreme_!"

Tyriana had completely forgotten about her precious broomstick. Somehow, Julian had remembered that too. She couldn't stop herself from admiring him even more than before. He'd managed to save her, keep track of the Snitch _and_ remember that her broomstick was still plummeting back to Earth.

There was a long moment where there was no sign of it and she worried that it had already hit the ground. Finally, to her relief, it burst out of the clouds below them and soared into Julian's waiting hand.

"Thank you for saving me," she said as she jumped ship over to her broom.

"No problem," he said. "But who do the points for catching the Snitch go to? You caught it but I flew the broom."

"Let's go talk to Madam Hooch and find out." She led him on a spiralling and controlled dive back through the clouds.

Finally, the Quidditch pitch materialized far below them. Tyriana spotted Madam Hooch and they headed directly for her.

Blake Leonard saw them descending. "The Seekers have returned. Did they finally find the Snitch? I think I see it in Gallagher's hand. If so, then Gryffindor will win 750-220. What a landslide victory that would be!"

Madam Hooch spotted them approaching. All around the field, the players had frozen to watch. "You caught the Snitch?" the referee asked Tyriana.

"Um, kind of. The Snitch flew so high that I fainted. Julian saved me and then I got the Snitch while riding tandem on his broom."

Tyriana could almost see the wheels turning in Madam Hooch's head. Players weren't allowed to ride on their opponent's broomsticks, although in circumstances such as these Julian's actions were more of a display of sportsmanship than a foul. And then there was the issue of who would get credit for catching the Snitch. Tyriana had caught it, but she wouldn't have been able to if his flying hadn't gotten her within arm's reach of it. Of course, the argument could be made that she would have caught it if she hadn't fallen off her broom in the first place.

Tyriana glanced at the scoreboard. Without the Snitch's points factored in the score was 600-220 in favor of Gryffindor.

Julian interrupted the celebration in her head. "You couldn't even give me the glory of catching it, could you?" He sounded more disappointed than angry.

"What?"

"The Snitch doesn't matter. No matter who gets the points Gryffindor still wins."

She thought about it. The Slytherin Quidditch team had been humiliated. Their chances of winning the Quidditch Cup for the tenth year in a row were low. Julian was going to take a lot of the blame — why couldn't he catch the Snitch when the game was still within reach? At least, if he got the points for catching it, things wouldn't be quite as bad for him.

He had saved her life. Stealing the Snitch from right under his nose had been rude, Tyriana realized. She owed him some display of gratitude so she did some quick mental math. A Slytherin capture of the Snitch would yield a final score of 600-370, still leaving Gryffindor with a firm lead.

"Give Slytherin the points," she said abruptly.

"What?" both Madam Hooch and Julian exclaimed simultaneously.

"Give Slytherin the points," she repeated, passing the little golden ball to Julian. "Gryffindor doesn't need them."

Madam Hooch flew over to the commentator's box to inform Blake Leonard of the results. A moment later, he announced, "While Gryffindor Seeker Gallagher caught the Snitch, she did so while riding… um… tandem on Slytherin Seeker Hawkins' broom. Slytherin gets the points, leaving the score at 600-370. GRYFFINDOR WINS!"

Only the most dedicated Gryffindors and Slytherins were still in the stands. Jubilant cheers erupted on the Gryffindor side, while there were groans of disappointment from the Slytherin side.

In the moment before her team smothered her with hugs, Tyriana locked eyes with Julian and mouthed two simple words: "Thank you."

He gave her a discreet smile that only she would see.

Then the team was swarming her, their fatigue forgotten in their moment of triumph.

"We did it!" Lydia cried.

"We won!" Hugh sounded like he was trying to convince himself of the reality of the moment.

In the background, Tyriana was vaguely aware of a crowd of Gryffindors chanting her name.

Eventually, the Gryffindor players drifted down to the turf. The mood in the locker room was euphoric. Tyriana was hard-pressed to get the team to leave her alone long enough to change back into her tank-top, sweatshirt and jeans. She glanced at her watch. Dinner was in fifteen minutes. Her stomach rumbled furiously.

There was no food in the locker room, regrettably, but there were cups. She pulled out her wand. " _Aguamenti_!" One of them filled with water. Tyriana forced herself to drink slowly, although water had never tasted so good and her instincts told her to throw her head back and down it all in one gulp.

The rest of the players, who were just as tired and dehydrated as she was, followed suit.

"Great job today, everybody," Tyriana finally said, wiping excess water from her mouth. "Everyone played great and we wiped the smug grins off their faces."

"What happened up there with Hawkins?" Taquin asked.

"Why were you two riding tandem?" Lydia seconded.

Looking around the room, she could see that this was the question on everybody's minds. She guessed it was also the question on the whole school's mind. She blushed a bit. "Um, the Snitch flew so high that I passed out and fell off my broom. Julian caught me and then I caught the Snitch. That's it."

"Julian?" Jessamine repeated. "Since when did you use his first name?"

Tyriana hoped she wasn't blushing as much as she thought she was. "Um, we live together, for Merlin's sake, and he saved my life when he caught me. Other than that there's nothing to it."

Before she could be coerced into revealing more, she turned and left the locker room. That offered her no escape, however, as she was immediately bombarded with a wall of noise. It seemed as though all of the Gryffindors who'd stayed to watch the whole match had migrated to wait for the triumphant team to come out.

Before her tired eyes could figure out what exactly this wildly moving mass of scarlet and gold was, she was being picked up and carried by the crowd up to the castle like a trophy. A glance over her shoulder showed her that the rest of the team was getting the same treatment.

They arrived in the Entrance Hall just as dinner was beginning. Those who had left the game early looked up, some having already caught wind of the results and others having not. The gist of the outcome was obvious, however, given the exhilarated energy of the Gryffindors and the sulky gloom of the Slytherins.

Normally, Tyriana would have wanted to sit with her usual band of friends. Today, however, she found herself sitting with the team. All of them were ravenously hungry and not many words were exchanged as they dug in like it was the start of term feast. Students were celebrating up and down the Gryffindor table, joined by some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. Even most of the staff seemed excited to see Slytherin reminded of its mortality. Tyriana spotted Professor McGonagall wiping away tears.

Most students had the decency to recognize that the Gryffindor team was exhausted and hungry. They stayed out of the way. When Tyriana had her fill of food a wave of drowsiness overtook her. She tried to excuse herself to go to bed but, as if they'd been waiting for this moment, someone shouted, "PARTY IN THE COMMON ROOM!" This was immediately met with a chorus of enthusiastic cheers.

She was dragged with the crowd of people up to Gryffindor Tower, where a party began that Tyriana had no doubts was going to go all night. The room was crowded to the point of being claustrophobic. Someone was playing really loud music that forced any and all conversations to be held by shouting. Another Gryffindor or two had managed to smuggle in some alcohol. Tyriana knew that it was her responsibility as Head Girl to confiscate the beverages but she didn't possess the energy or the desire at this point. Some Gryffindors were brave enough that they actually offered her some. She refused every time.

The team continued to sing her praises and she tried to wave them off by saying, "You guys were the ones who won the match!"

"But we couldn't have done it without your training and your faith in us!" Lydia called back.

There was a roar of approval and somebody started another chant of Tyriana's name. She blushed profusely but didn't try to quiet them anymore.

After two hours, feeling absurdly drowsy and suffering from her second headache and third stomach ache of the day, Tyriana excused herself and staggered to her room. She managed to extricate herself from her sweatshirt and collapsed into bed, barely possessing the wherewithal to pull up the covers before she slipped into the world of her victorious dreams.

 **A/N** : I hope you guys enjoyed the first Quidditch match of the season! I'd like to hear your reactions. Food for thought: what does the outcome mean for Tyriana and Julian's relationship?

I'm going to be leaving in a few minutes to see the eclipse. Tomorrow's chapter may be delayed bit because it needs some revision and I'm not going to be getting back home until late tonight. I'll try to get it up ASAP, though.


	21. Julian

**A/N** : Definitely an M-rated chapter. Cover your eyes, kids!

 **Chapter 21**

 **Julian**

 **November 3rd, 2013**

Tyriana awoke to a soft knock on her door. "What?" she mumbled, her voice sounding about as groggy as she felt.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead," came Julian's teasing voice from the other side of the door.

Tyriana glanced at her watch. It was 4:48 PM on what she presumed was Sunday. She'd slept for about twenty hours. Warm sunlight was streaming through her window, giving the room a bright and heavenly feel.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

Tyriana pulled up her sheets a bit just in case. She was clothed but she didn't want him to be worried about having another awkward encounter. "Sure."

The door opened and he stepped in.

"Hi," she said sweetly.

"Hey." He walked over to the edge of her bed. "Can I sit?"

"Of course."

Julian sat down carefully, as if he was concerned about jostling her. Once he was settled, his eyes met hers and there was a long silence before he spoke. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," she beamed.

"I'm so happy for you." He paused, gazing at her with admiration in his eyes. "You're so beautiful when you're happy. You're almost glowing. I want to do everything I can to keep you in this mood forever." He stopped abruptly and blushed, as if he had just realized that he'd said that second part aloud.

Tyriana thought his words were endearing. She gave him her sweetest smile as they lapsed into another long silence, both of them content to merely gaze at each other. Tyriana was relieved that the many hints Julian had dropped over the past week or two indicated that he did indeed have feelings for her. She knew that she felt the same way about him and figured it was about time to do something about it.

"I know a way that you can make me even happier right now," she ventured.

"What's that?"

"Come over here and kiss me." Tyriana allowed the smoldering heat of her feelings for him to express itself in her bright blue eyes for the first time.

He was quiet for a moment, considering her invitation. Finally, he said, "You have no idea how long I've been waiting."

"Then don't wait any longer." She slipped her arm out from under the sheets and took his hand, pulling him towards her.

"You're sure about this?"

She loved how respectful he was of her boundaries but right now his caution was threatening to ruin the moment. "I'm very sure. Please just do it."

He tilted his head over hers and, finally, they kissed. No traces of the awkwardness that had invaded their relationship over the past few days manifested themselves in that magical moment. He took her plump lower lip between his and gave the tender and plump flesh a firm but compassionate kiss. Tyriana allowed herself a purr of contentment. The kiss felt _right_. There was simply no other way to describe it. His free hand — the one he was not supporting himself with — caressed and cradled her jaw with a delicate touch that made her heart pound. She wrapped one arm around his torso, pulling him closer, while the other cupped the back of his head. Her fingertips drifted through his neat and tidy hair, longing to mess it up like hers.

His lips released hers after a long moment and Tyriana immediately responded with a kiss of her own, one that was commensurate in passion and primal need. When she was satisfied she sat up and scooted closer to him and a new sequence of fervid snogging ensued. Julian's hands roamed through her tresses of bedraggled hair and she sensed that he was greatly enjoying this. He didn't seem to have any intention of touching the rest of her body - she suspected that he didn't think that was appropriate at this point in their relationship - but she felt no such inhibition. She let her hands explore his chest and back, finally reaching the hem of his shirt. She pulled it up over his head and feasted her eyes on him.

He was slim, as all Seekers were, but she didn't find his possession of less muscle mass than Caden any less attractive. He had a lean build with very little fat on him, although he didn't look to be solely skin and bones either. He'd found a pleasant balance of muscularity and slenderness that was making waves of heat flash through her body.

She hardly had time to place her hands on his bare chest before he was kissing her again. He seemed to take her enthusiastic removal of his shirt as a signal that her torso was fair game too and his hands finally made the journey down her neck and onto her shoulders. His hands lingered on her bare skin there for a while, massaging her unsettlingly sensitive skin with a gentle touch. She recalled his brief back rub two nights before and wondered how he could arouse her so easily. All of this massaging of her bare shoulders had her longing for him to remove her tank-top so that he could massage the rest of her torso, too. She wanted to lay back and surrender her sanity to the buzz of arousal that was steadily consuming her. She craved more stimulation.

Between kisses she panted, "Julian, you're driving me fucking crazy. Take my top off."

He grinned mischievously. "Oh, but I love driving you crazy. I think I'll stay right here and keep—-"

"—Julian!" she growled. " _Please_."

He chuckled and ran his hands down her back, his fingers finally pulling her top over her head. "You are amazing, Captain Crazy Hair," he said as his eyes drifted down her chest. Tyriana was a little disappointed to remember that she'd never changed out of her sports bra that she'd worn for the match the previous day. That hardly fit the mood of the moment. She wished she'd been wearing something that would make her breasts look a bit more impressive.

"Take my bra off, too," she whispered.

He had a little more difficulty with this task than Caden had, which actually relieved her. Caden, as she'd later found out, was much more promiscuous than she'd initially believed and not for the right reasons. Julian, she sensed, was a far better man and a more respectful lover. He may not have quite as much experience, but he genuinely cared for her and that made up for any fumbles on his part.

The restrictive garment came away and Tyriana finally felt freedom. "Merlin's beard," Julian muttered. He met her eyes. "You get more and more gorgeous by the minute, Tyriana."

She grinned with pride.

Julian lay back with his spine resting on a pillow that was propped up against the headboard. "Lay your head here, Tyriana," he said, patting his shoulder.

Tyriana crawled over and lay her back on his chest. His hands snaked around her and began to caress her breasts from behind. She moaned in pleasure as her nipples hardened in his hands; this felt even better than the shoulder rub. She could feel him growing harder against her lower back — clearly he was enjoying this too. His lips found a gap in her hair and snuck through, gently kissing her neck.

Her lower lip got caught between her teeth and her breathing was becoming hard and heavy. "Julian," she gasped.

"What, gorgeous?" he drawled. His voice drove her crazy.

"I can't wait any more." She stirred her hips, grinding her ass on the hard shape in his pants.

He managed to chuckle and groan at the same time. "All will come in due time."

"Your wordplay won't work on me," she growled.

His lazily plucked one of her nipples, making her gasp. "Oh, I think you're quite susceptible." He patted the pillow next to him. "I have an idea I think you'll love. It involves you lying on your back over here."

Eagerly anticipating the pleasure that was sure to come soon, she did so. He bent over her on his knees, his fingers unzipping her jeans and pulling them and her knickers down in one tug.

She didn't realize what he was up to until he opened her legs and lowered his head between them. Tyriana's heart swooned — she'd never been on the receiving end of oral before — and as soon as his tongue touched her she immediately understood that her previous lovers' failure to deliver in that regard had been a crime she never should have let them get away with.

"Oh my God, Julian!" she cried.

His eyes had been watching her reactions and he paused briefly to grin and drawl, "You're so responsive."

"This is new to me," she gasped as his tongue resumed working wonders.

"I'm not surprised Caden skipped this part," he muttered, substituting his tongue with his hand while he talked. "What a shame that is because you unquestionably deserve it."

She could hardly focus on his words. The feelings that were searing up her spine and resonating in her brain were too intense, too magical to ignore. When his tongue returned the wave of her pleasure grew and grew into a tsunami, at which point it had to break. Her orgasm came faster than she ever would have believed was possible, crashing over her with bone-rattling force.

Tyriana cried out as the agony of pure pleasure seized control of her body. She arched off the bed, her entire body flexing and clenching. Somehow, blinded as she was by the mind-ravaging sensations, she found Julian's hand and she squeezed it for dear life, trusting him to be the anchor for her sanity.

After a long moment in heaven she fell back to reality, desperately trying to refill her lungs after all of the oxygen she'd just expended crying out. Her senses slowly returned to her and her eyes focused on Julian, who was licking his lips as he crawled up her trembling body.

"That was amazing to witness," he whispered, kissing her. She tasted herself on his tongue, and the novelty of that somehow had her raring to go again.

"I've never felt anything like that, Julian," Tyriana panted. Her hands scrabbled at his pants, pulling them down as far as she could with her limited reach. He chuckled and pulled away for a moment, finishing the job for her. That left him in only his boxers.

"Something tells me you're the kind of girl that likes being on top," he said.

"You bet," she said, quickly maneuvering herself into the appropriate position. She glanced up at him as she slipped her fingertips under the hem of his underwear, making eye contact. She let him see the smoldering excitement in her bright but dilated eyes.

"Tyriana, I know you hear this all of the time but your eyes are mesmerizing." he said.

"Don't you worry; you'll have plenty of chances to stare later." With that, she pulled his boxers down. She then scooted into position and used her hand to guide him into her body. They groaned together as she took him deep, her insides milking every possible source of friction. Finally, their pelvises came together. She sighed with satisfaction. He felt so good, so perfect. Tyriana leaned forward and kissed him on the lips as she began to thrust her hips in a steady rhythm.

"Merlin's beard," he exclaimed, kissing her back.

"You need an expression that doesn't involve Merlin," she teased.

"The Muggles seem content with only one. I've heard that they say 'oh my God' a lot."

"They do," she admitted. "Still… Was Merlin's beard really _that_ amazing?"

He shrugged. "If you keep talking I'm going to worry that you're not enjoying this as much as you should be."

"Believe me, I am," she purred. "What would you do if I wasn't?"

"I'd find a position that got more of a response out of you."

"It'd have to be something face-to-face, then. I want to feel a personal connection the first time."

"I understand that line of thought," he said. His hands drifted down her back and cupped her butt. He began adding a little force of his own to each of her thrusts. She got the message and increased both the force and the pace. Satisfied, his hands journeyed back up her body. "I'm so glad that things turned out the way they did," he said after a moment.

"I thought you said no talking," she panted.

He groaned. "I believe the Muggles say 'do as I say, not as I do,' yes?"

"They do… I don't think I can talk coherently much longer, though. This feels too fucking good."

He smirked. "That's alright. We can talk another time."

"Good," she gasped. Her movements were becoming more and more erratic as the buzzing sensation of her body's arousal drowned out all other thought. She could sense her release on the horizon; now she needed to find her way across the gap between herself and that elusive point.

"Sit up," he groaned.

Tyriana did, and she transitioned from thrusting to bouncing in the process. Her lower body tightened even further, welcoming the adjustment. Julian must've taken her earlier face-to-face comment pretty seriously because he sat up too.

Tyriana gazed deep into his steel blue eyes and saw that he was feeling the same need that she was — the same urgent need to release all of the tension that they'd both eagerly subjected themselves to. He returned the intimate stare for a moment before his hands found their way to her bouncing breasts, cradling them and halting their motion.

That drove Tyriana mad; they were the one part of her that had been loose, the one part of her that had been free. Now she felt forced to commit, to acknowledge that she was wound up tighter than any spring and there was only one way to relax.

His thumbs traced patterns of fire around her swollen nipples, adding fresh kindling to the fire of arousal inside her. It was only a matter of time before she went infernal.

"Come on, Tyriana," he urged. "You can do it."

She was almost there. She almost had the maze-like path to her orgasm solved. All she needed was a little bit more… Her hand scrambled for her clit, which had seen plenty of action from his tongue in round one but had been neglected so far in round two.

His hand beat hers there. "Next time just ask," he murmured as his fingertips began to tease her most sensitive bud of nerves.

Her whimper of pleasure became a cry as he pushed her right up to the edge and she found just the right motivation to carry her away from her last ounce of sanity and back into the heaven of unearthly pleasure. Her rhythm faltered and he laid back and picked it up right where she'd left off.

"Julian!" she cried. Whether she shouted his name once or a half-dozen times she'd never be able to remember. All she knew was that, in this moment of near incoherence, the only name she could remember was his.

Suddenly she was aware of him leaping and joining her in the idyllic realm of gratification she'd found herself in for the second time that day. They pulsed together for a brief moment that felt like forever. Tyriana clutched at him, pulling him close. She felt at her most vulnerable yet also at her most empowered in this raw moment.

Gradually, they both drifted back to reality. She collapsed and melted on top of him. Her hand scrambled for her wand on her nightstand and she cast a quick contraceptive charm on herself. Then she returned her focus to just breathing.

"That was fucking amazing," she panted after a moment, still trying to regain some semblance of sanity and coherency.

"It was," he agreed, seeming just as drained as she was.

For a long moment they both lay there, recovering and pondering the implications of what had just happened.

"I never got the chance to thank you for giving Slytherin the Snitch's points," he said abruptly. That was a bit more off-topic than what she'd been expecting him to say but she took it in stride.

"You saved my life; it was the only way I could even begin to repay you. Are… Are the Slytherins upset with you?"

"Not really. They know that it wasn't I who lost them the game. The rest of the team pretty much literally dropped the ball and I think they were just glad that I ended the game before we fell any further behind. The 150 points from the Snitch helped, too. 600-370 is a lot less embarrassing than 750-220."

"It is," she agreed.

"Why?" he asked after a moment.

"What?"

He nodded downwards. "Are you doing this just to pay me back for saving your life?"

"No," she said. "Don't tell me after all of the times that you've read me perfectly that you don't know why."

"I want to make sure, but I'm pretty sure I do know. You love me."

She nodded. "I'm afraid so."

"You? Afraid? Well, I suppose that reaction makes sense considering you're now shagging a Slytherin. I bet you never thought that would happen when you and I met on the Hogwarts Express, huh?"

She shook her head, neglecting to mention that they had met before that in second year. She considered that Hawkins to be a different person entirely than the Julian she had just made love with. He had grown so much since then, as had she.

"I'm not _actually_ afraid. I think of you as more of a Ravenclaw these days," she told him.

"I'm probably not allowed to switch houses at this point, huh?"

"It seems a little late," she said sadly.

He grinned and ruffled her messy hair affectionately. "I'm just glad we're both on the same page. In terms of why we just shagged, that is." Tyriana felt a thrill race through her body. He had just acknowledged that he loved her.

"Leave it to a bookworm like you to say that we're both on the same page," she teased.

He chuckled. "My affectionate nickname better not be 'bookworm.'"

"Why not?" she snickered.

He groaned in exasperation. "You can come up with something better. As a double entendre it's awful."

Tyriana giggled. "I'll try to think of something better." She ended the sentence with a yawn as the leftover exhaustion from the past month of stress crashed over her.

"Come here," he said softly, pulling her closer until she was snuggled against his side. "Comfortable?"

Tyriana's response was a purr of contentment. Her eyes closed and in no time she returned to the world of her dreams, a place almost as magical as the bedroom she'd just left.

 **October 4th, 2013**

Tyriana awoke to her watch's alarm. She felt more refreshed and energized than she could recall being in a long time. The only problem was that she was starving.

"What's that noise?" Julian groaned from behind her. At some point in the night they'd shifted to a spooning position and he'd pulled the sheets over them.

"It's my watch alarm," she said, sitting up. "It's Monday morning already and breakfast starts in thirty minutes."

"Oh shit," he muttered. "Thank Merlin you have that thing or we'd have slept through our classes!"

"Glad to see you still have the same priorities," she teased, scrambling out of bed and dressing herself. She heard him getting up, too, and cast what was intended to be a discreet glance over her shoulder as he picked up his clothes.

"For your own good I suggest you stop staring," he said. "You look like you're about to jump on me."

"I was going to pounce. Like a lioness." She made a clawing gesture with her hand and imitated a lion's snarl.

"Stop being so adorable." He caught her clawed hand, cupped her fingers into a fist and kissed her knuckles. A smile broke on her face as tingles flitted up her arm. He retreated to his own room, adding, "For once, I do actually hope you clean up that mess of hair on your head."

"What's wrong with my luscious mane? I'm a lioness, remember?"

"First of all, male lions are the ones with the manes. Second, if your hairstyle didn't say 'I just finished sleeping with someone' before it definitely does now."

Tyriana went into the bathroom and took a look in the mirror. She grimaced. "You're right."

"I wish I had one of those Muggle audio recording devices," he said. "I feel like having a record of you saying that is going to be useful."

"You're thinking too far ahead, Julian."

He chose not to respond to that. For a while they both focused on getting ready. Tyriana spent the time wondering if they were officially in a relationship. The last sentence he had said indicated that he saw a future with her so she supposed that meant that, if they weren't officially dating now, they would be shortly.

"Julian?"

"Yes?"

"I don't think we should tell anybody about us. Or, at least not right now."

He nodded. "Definitely not right now. If word got out my father would eventually catch wind of it. He'd be livid and he'd probably disown me from the family. He'd give my older brother everything. That would leave me with nothing, and I'm half-a-year from graduating. I need financial stability right now."

"The match is too fresh, as well. Tensions need to settle down between our houses."

"I agree. We shouldn't walk to breakfast together either," he added.

"I guess I'll leave now, then. See you this afternoon."

She'd referred to herself and Julian using first-person plural pronouns and he hadn't objected. _I guess he does consider us to be together now_ , she thought, feeling both satisfied and relieved.

As Tyriana walked down the aisle between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables a few minutes later, listening to the praise of her peers, she stopped beside each of her players. "I just want to reiterate my congratulations and thanks," she said to each of them. "Practice is cancelled this afternoon."

Finally, she joined her friends, whom she hadn't seen since the wild victory party in the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Feeling rested?" Brielle asked.

Tyriana nodded. "I feel better than I have in months."

"That's good to hear. You certainly look better. You look alive again."

Siobhan leaned closer. "Um, Tyriana, there's something I want to say before Alara or Delaney let it slip." The two girls in question glared at the implication that they were loose-lipped.

"What's that?"

"Well, um, last night we were wondering why you weren't at dinner. I mean, we could understand you sleeping through breakfast and lunch but dinner too? So we went up to your room because you gave us the password and we saw, well…"

"You found Julian and I sleeping together," Tyriana inferred. _So much for a secret_.

Siobhan nodded, her cheeks pink. "I'm sorry. We didn't see anything… um… you know..."

"It's alright. I appreciate you girls coming to check on me. Um, you haven't told anyone else, though, right?"

Brielle shook her head. Siobhan gave Alara and Delaney a warning glare, her eyes very clearly saying "Don't you dare say a word to anybody!"

"Good. I guess Julian and I are official now, although we decided that the time wasn't right to go public," Tyriana said.

"Smart move," said Brielle. "I don't think many Gryffindors or Slytherins would understand, particularly when tensions are this high."

Tyriana glanced at the Slytherin table just in time to see Julian saunter into the Great Hall and take his usual seat with his own group of friends. His eyes met hers and he winked.

A smile broke on her face.

"I told you he was attractive," Alara said pointedly, following her gaze.

"Honestly, Alara, that's just a bonus. I fell for his personality, not his face."

"We're really happy for you," Brielle said. "Who ever knew that Tyriana Gallagher would fall in love with a Slytherin?"

"It sounds quite improbable," Tyriana agreed.

 **A/N** : Finally!


	22. Hufflepuff vs Ravenclaw

**Chapter 22**

 **Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw**

 **Early November, 2013**

Of course, nothing remained secret for long at Hogwarts, the school being the small and tight-knit community that it was. Thus Tyriana was quite surprised to find, by the time of the Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw match two weeks later, the truth that she and Julian were dating was nothing more than a rumor without much circulation.

Tyriana wasn't sure why it wasn't getting much traction, although she wasn't going to complain. Evidence was steadily (and inevitably) piling up, but nobody was putting the dots together. In the world of Hogwarts dating rumors, people seemed more concerned with what boy Delaney would be seen with next than the story that the Head Boy and Head Girl had fallen in love. Tyriana wondered if this was because the story was easy to dismiss as being unusually far-fetched.

She knew that Gryffindors and Slytherins alike would lose their minds if they found out the truth. Nobody would really understand. Empathy, after all, was a cornerstone of understanding and she suspected that was something that was in short supply when it came to the relationship between Gryffindors and Slytherins.

Tyriana was beyond thankful that she and Julian shared a dormitory to themselves. Their relationship would never have prospered in the way that it did in the weeks following the Quidditch match if they hadn't been able to chat, cuddle and sleep together whenever they wanted to.

She felt like her life had been given a second wind. She was happier. She had more energy. She slept better. Her classes seemed easier. Homework took less time to complete. Quidditch practices became fun again. She had free time. She spent that time with a broader circle of friends and opened herself up to acquaintances she otherwise wouldn't have engaged with.

The aftermath of the Quidditch match was still fresh in the air. The general mood of Gryffindor house was generally jubilant and revitalized. Tyriana tried to ease the Quidditch team back into their practice schedule only to realize that they were all too eager to get back into full-swing. They were excited to begin preparing for their next opponent: Hufflepuff. The match would take place on March 8th. That was a long ways away and, until the Hufflepuff vs Ravenclaw match on November 16th, she really had no idea where to begin. She kept practices short so that they would be fresh and ready to begin the true training grind again once she had an idea of what to expect from Hufflepuff.

Julian told her that half the Slytherin team wasn't even showing up to their practices and they kept ending after only half-an-hour of arguing and playing the blame game. Apparently they couldn't seem to cope with their unexpected reversal of fortunes. Julian seemed disappointed that he wasn't getting many chances to fly his broomstick.

"Grab your broom and come with me," she said on Sunday morning, eight days after the match. She grabbed her Firebolt Supreme but didn't bother to enlarge it yet. When he emerged with his Nimbus 2010, thankfully dressed warmly and clearly wondering what exactly she was up to, she cast a Shrinking Charm on the broom.

"What're you doing?" he asked, staring at the toy-sized broomstick in his palm.

"Just come with me. I have an idea that I think you'll love."

Despite the risks of being spotted together, she led him through the halls of the castle and down the slopes of the grounds to the Quidditch pitch.

"We both love flying so much," she said as they walked across the frosty grass of the field. "But we've never flown together for fun."

He smiled cheerfully. "Tyriana, you're a genius. I only have one request."

"Which is?"

He pointed to her Firebolt Supreme. "You're going to loan me that."

"Sure," she said, enlarging it and handing it to him. She accepted his Nimbus 2010 in return. Having previously owned one for two years, the broom immediately felt at home in her hands. "Don't crash my baby," she warned him.

"I won't." Julian mounted it and kicked off from the ground. He shot into the sky like a bullet out of a gun, whooping in delight. For the first time, Tyriana got to see what she must look like riding it.

 _It's beautiful_ , she thought as she tied her hair back into a ponytail. _And he rides it so well_. She rose into the air on his broom, watching as he sped around the field before pulling up alongside her. Leaning across the gap, he kissed her rosy cheeks.

"I'm very jealous," he whispered, the heat of his breath proving to be an arousing juxtaposition with the chilly November air. "I'll take my broom back."

She shook her head. "Keep going. I like watching you."

"Didn't you originally say that we've never flown _together_? I'd much prefer it if you were next to me."

She smiled. "Gladly.

Soaring through the sky in majestic harmony, they left the Quidditch field behind. They swooped low over the dark water of the loch.

"How low can you go without getting wet?" he shouted over the wind.

"The water's freezing!" she responded. "I'm not risking it."

"Backing down from a challenge? Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?"

Since their entire relationship so far had existed in secret and Julian hadn't had to publically introduce her to anybody, he had yet to refer to her as his girlfriend. It finally dawned on her that they were really together and that the last eight days had not been a dream conjured by her imagination.

"Alright, I'll try it," she said. Rather than merely decreasing her altitude, Tyriana rolled inverted and lowered herself so low that her head got within two inches of the water. Giving way to a force known as gravity, her ponytail dipped into the frigid lake and left a rippling wake behind her.

"Merlin's beard, Tyriana, that's overkill!" he exclaimed, sounding genuinely impressed.

She rolled back upright again and climbed back to his altitude. Her sodden ponytail settled onto her back and she felt bone-chilling water soak through her clothes. Shivering, she thought, _maybe that wasn't as good of an idea as I thought_. The water trickled down her spine aroused goosebumps all over her body.

"Hold on, I've gotta stop for a second." She drifted to a halt a few feet above the lake and used her wand to cast a siphoning charm on the water in her ponytail and clothes. Julian cast a charm that blew hot air out of the end of his wand. Warmth crept back into her and she embraced it like an old friend.

"Better?" he asked.

"Better."

"Good." She realized that they had neared the opposite shore.

Julian noticed that, too. "Race you back to the center of the Quidditch pitch?"

"That's hardly fair; you have the better broom!"

"What would you have said if I used that excuse during our match?"

Tyriana frowned and, while she was pondering that, he sped off. Grinning ruefully, she pursued him. She was lighter and more aerodynamic, so the Firebolt Supreme didn't reach quite the same speeds for him as it could for her. Nevertheless, she was never able to close the gap between her and Julian using his Nimbus 2010. _This is pretty unfair_ , she thought. _I'm surprised he didn't complain once during that nine hour match. He just did what he could with what he had. The Nimbus 2010 is by no means a bad broomstick, but the Firebolt Supreme is in another league_. Noting just how drastic the difference was only increased her respect for Julian. He'd given her a run for her money in the match despite a clear disadvantage. Tyriana wondered which of them was a better Seeker if all of the variables were balanced. She couldn't confidently say that it was her.

He beat her back to the stadium by fifty seconds. "Slowpoke!" he teased as she landed next to him and half-heartedly punched him in the shoulder. "Ouch!" He grabbed her hand with the speed of a striking snake — _That's fitting_ , she thought — and tried to playfully wrestle her to the frosty ground. This was easier said than done, however, and she wiggled out of his grasp and danced away, breathless with adrenaline.

"As I said on the train, purebloods don't actually know how to fight."

"You're probably right," he said. "I suppose I should give you your broom back."

"Thanks."

Julian flashed his charming smile. "No, thank you for bringing me out here and letting me ride your broom. That was fun."

"Any time."

"We should go back to the castle separately to avoid arousing suspicion," he said.

She nodded. "I'll go first so that you can fly a little more."

"Hold on a second." He wrapped her up in a hug and kissed her forehead. She basked as the warmth of his body washed over her. He gave her one last squeeze. "I'll be up in a bit."

"See you then."

 **November 16th, 2013**

On the next Saturday, most of the school returned to the Quidditch pitch to watch Hufflepuff take on Ravenclaw. Tyriana and Julian both preferred Ravenclaw to Hufflepuff and wore blue accordingly (although this was largely hidden by the coats they had to wear to brave the weather, which was significantly worse than it had been in their match two weeks prior). They even managed to spectate together. By positioning themselves in the front row, they were able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and discreetly hold hands.

"As bad as the weather is, I hope the game lasts at least a little while," she muttered to him.

"Watching Quidditch is fun," he agreed.

"Well, that too, but I was hoping to get a good idea of how the teams perform."

"So you're here to scout the Hufflepuffs."

"And the Ravenclaws. We'll be facing them eventually, too. You should keep an eye on the Ravenclaw Seeker," she said, tucking her chin into her scarf as a particularly strong gust of frigid wind washed over them.

"I suppose so. He's coming off last year's reserve roster after Elias Finch graduated. I'll have to see what he's got." Julian's keen eyes followed the player in question, a fourth year named Beau Naylor, as he walked onto the field. Tyriana watched him too, taking mental notes. She had plenty of experience playing against Hufflepuff's Seeker, Victor Sykes, who'd been on his house's team for the past four years. She wasn't too worried about him since she'd caught the Snitch in every match she'd ever played against him. He seemed to have a history of doing better against the Ravenclaws, which must've been why the team kept him around. He certainly had never had much luck against Gryffindor or Slytherin.

The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw captains shook hands. The balls were released and fifteen broomsticks rose into the air amidst the energetic roar of the crowd. Now that Slytherin had been soundly defeated, both Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws seemed to have fresh interest in their Quidditch teams. The Quidditch Cup was within reach again.

"Rowan Fraser, the Hufflepuff Captain, snatches the Quaffle!" Blake Leonard was saying. "He sprints up the field but nearly takes a Bludger to the face and drops it… The Quaffle is recovered by Ravenclaw Chaser Farrell, who passes to Dobson. He heads for the Hufflepuff goalposts, throws… WOW! GREAT SAVE BY HUFFLEPUFF KEEPER CORWIN BRIGGS! I don't believe that he just did that, and I think he does either! The Quaffle is back in play, taken by Morley. She dodges a Bludger and Ravenclaw Captain Reeves. That girl moves even better than she looks — I'm sorry, Professor McGonagall — and she pushes for the goalposts. She throws! HUFFLEPUFF SCORES! 10-0. Ravenclaw Chaser Thorpe takes the Quaffle back across the field. Can she tie the game up? She aims, Hufflepuff Keeper Briggs dives in the wrong direction and RAVENCLAW IS ON THE BOARD! 10 points for both teams. Was Briggs' first save a fluke? Perhaps it was just — HAS RAVENCLAW SEEKER NAYLOR SPOTTED THE SNITCH?! He dives! Sykes of Hufflepuff follows him! The game might end right now, ladies and gentlemen! I take that back — it was a Wronski Feint! Despite Naylor's flawless execution of the tricky maneuver, Sykes still managed to pull out of his dive just before crashing into the ground. That's great flying by both Seekers…"

" _Flawless_ execution?!" Tyriana sputtered. "That was sloppy as hell!"

Simultaneously, Hawkins exclaimed, "He could've pulled up a whole second later! Then it might've actually tricked Sykes into crashing!"

A few spectators around them looked over curiously to see who the two self-proclaimed experts on the Wronski Feint were. The younger students seemed to not only realize who they were standing next to for the first time but also recognize that seeing these two together was unusual. Tyriana watched one third year girl's gaze dart down to their joined hands. The young Ravenclaw's eyes widened and she looked at Tyriana in horror.

Tyriana eyed her calmly, having decided an instant before that she was not embarrassed to be with Julian. Others may not understand what he was really like but, after a two-month journey, she did and that was all that mattered. She gave the girl a disarming smile, telling her that the relationship was by mutual consent. Then she raised her finger to her lips.

The girl nodded slowly, although she still looked absolutely horrified. For the entirety of the rest of the match, which lasted another fifteen minutes, she kept glancing suspiciously at them.

Tyriana wondered if the girl would tell anyone. Would she be too afraid of retribution from two seventh years, particularly the Head Girl and Boy? Or would she think this confirmation of the rumors was valuable and use it to her advantage?

The match ended when Naylor appeared to attempt another Wronski Feint. Sykes ignored it this time but the maneuver was a legitimate ploy to get the Snitch, which Naylor had spotted flying low by the base of the Ravenclaw goalposts. He snatched it before anybody could follow what had happened. In his excitement, he forgot to pull up and instead crashed hard into the ground. The Ravenclaw side of the stadium erupted into simultaneous cheers and gasps of horror, while the Hufflepuffs let out a chorus of disgruntled groans.

Tyriana and Julian clapped respectfully. Naylor's strategy had been wise, as one would expect from a Ravenclaw, although his execution had been quite lackluster. The final score was 180-90 in favor of Ravenclaw. _Hufflepuff's Chasers and Keeper are decent_ , Tyriana concluded, _Their Beaters and Seeker could use some more training_.

"Want to beat the crowd out of here?" Tyriana asked Julian.

Her boyfriend nodded to Naylor's prone body. The Ravenclaw Seeker's crash seemed to have knocked him out. "I've seen enough."

It was hard to resist the urge to hold hands as they trudged back up to the castle.

"Are you cold?" he asked her.

"Yes," she admitted, digging her hands a little deeper into her pockets.

He flashed a mischievous grin. "I know just the way to warm you up."

When they got back to the suite, he stripped her out of her winter clothes, lay her down on the couch in front of the fireplace and they made sweet love before falling asleep cradling each other.

Tyriana awoke to a scratching sound on the window. Mumbling incoherently to herself and blinking groggily, she looked to the window and saw an owl scratching at the pane of glass. Knowing that the owl wouldn't care if she was naked, she slipped out of Julian's arms and retrieved the letter attached to the its leg.

"What's going on?" Julian murmured from behind her.

"It's a letter. Addressed to you." She passed it to him.

"Thanks." He took a look at the sender's address on the envelope and blinked. "It's from my mother." Standing, he ripped it open and started to read silently.

Not wanting to invade his privacy, Tyriana sat down and watched his guarded expression. Whatever the parchment said was certainly important enough for him to read it twice. His steel blue eyes seemed to hint at several emotions ranging from curiosity to anger to relief. She felt her own curiosity growing. _What does that letter say_? It was probably none of her business, she knew, but she still felt some desire to know. Had his parents heard about their relationship?

Finally, he sighed and slid the letter back into the envelope. "I need to write a response and head to the Owlery." Tyriana watched him dress and pensively write a short letter of his own on a piece of parchment. Then he left, his jaw set.

Tyriana glanced at the letter he'd received. _What's going on_? Resisting the urge to take a peek, she dressed herself and got started on her homework. Julian returned fifteen minutes later. "Everything alright?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Not really, but I'm not as upset as I feel like I should be."

"Now you're just making me curious."

The corners of his mouth turned up a bit. "Allow me to satisfy your curiosity." He retrieved the letter and handed it to her.

Tyriana read:

Julian,

I hope you receive this before you see the article in the Daily Prophet. Your father is in big trouble with the Ministry. Recently he said some very disparaging and derogatory things in an official setting about Muggles and Muggleborns that I cannot and will not repeat. You know how fussy the Ministry is about that after the last war. Your father has been suspended from his job and may be fired.

I don't want this to distract you from your schoolwork, dear. That's the most important thing for you right now. I'll keep you updated as I hear more information.

All my love,

Amelie Hawkins

Tyriana wasn't sure how to react. On one hand, she wanted to empathize with Julian in this time of difficulty for his family. On the other hand, however, she'd heard what kind of person his father was and it sounded to her like the man was vile and deserved what he'd gotten.

Julian sighed. "Tricky, huh? I want to celebrate because the old bastard's finally going to get his comeuppance. On the other hand I feel like I should defend him because he's my father."

"I was thinking along the same lines," she said. "I think you should follow your heart. Do you care more for your father or Muggles and Muggleborns?"

"Muggles and Muggleborns," he said. "I am not my father or my brother." The second part seemed directed solely to himself.

Tyriana nodded. "I'll give you some time to yourself." She stood and headed to the Gryffindor Common Room to complete her homework with her friends.

 **A/N** : I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. FYI, I might take a few days' break between uploading chapter 24 & chapter 25. 24 is where the story was originally intended to end and that seems like a good place to pause so that the ~11 new chapters can get the level of polish that they deserve. Besides, my schedule is starting to fill up again and I can no longer devote the entire day to working on _Rivalry_. Once those new chapters are finished, however, I may just upload them all in one go. I'd like to finish this story before the end of the month. Thanks for reading!


	23. Hogsmeade in December

**Chapter 23**

 **Hogsmeade in December**

 **Early December, 2013**

December came, along with several dustings of snow. Tyriana was wishing the first two months of her seventh year had been as good as the past month and a half.

She'd expected the magical feeling of her relationship with Julian to wear off. If anything, their bond was only deepening as time passed. She was beginning to see that this wasn't a short-term relationship; they were both very seriously invested in each other and there were no signs that would change any time soon. Observing this pleased and reassured her tremendously.

There was a little conflict between them about whether they should make their relationship public. Tyriana didn't care if her peers knew or not. At this point a good number seemed to suspect there was something between Julian and herself, but the only people that they'd told the truth to were their respective closest circles of friends. Julian disagreed with her open approach and wanted to do everything possible to keep it a secret. This was not, he insisted, because he was embarrassed to be associated with her at school. He was worried that his parents — more specifically his father — would find out. Tyriana understood his reasoning and she acquiesced to his wishes. She didn't want his father interfering any more than he did.

Julian's relationship with his father, however, was changing on its own accord. The investigation into his father's insensitive remarks had uncovered other damning evidence confirming that he'd had deeper ties to the Dark Lord during the war of the late nineties than his testimony in the aftermath had let on. The Ministry broadened its investigation and discovered dark things about him that even Julian hadn't known.

"Frankly, I'm not surprised," he told Tyriana one afternoon after reading an article in the Daily Prophet on the subject. "I figured my Dad had stuff going on that he didn't even tell my mother." Before long, Julian's older brother was also under investigation as an accomplice in some illicit activities.

Slytherin house tried to comfort Julian, as many of his peers had been through similar experiences, but he wasn't interested in lamenting his father's plight. Instead, he and his mother sought to distance themselves from the darker side of the family.

Early in December, Julian's father was sentenced to Azkaban. Students from other houses who (of course) failed to understand the divide in Julian's family, tried to tease him. "Look who's daddy got caught dabbling in the Dark Arts and insulting Muggles! It's the Head Boy! Not so righteous and admirable now, eh?"

Tyriana did her best to put an end to this. Julian ignored them, but she could tell that their insults were like little daggers stabbing his heart.

Julian seemed to have redoubled his interest in crafting a new image for Slytherin house outside of the Dark Arts. Tyriana suspected that he was not just trying to prove to the world that he was not the same man as his father but also to himself. He had invited his friends over several times since the Quidditch match. They were rapidly moving forward with their plans to establish a Society devoted to making a positive impact on the world and bettering the reputation of Slytherin house. Their goal was to hold their first official meeting not long after Christmas break ended.

The boys had quite a shock when Tyriana sat on Julian's lap and kissed him on the cheek during a planning get-together a few weeks after the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin match. Apparently he hadn't told them what had happened yet.

"I have one suggestion," she had said, ignoring their stares. "You need some women in this little leadership group. You can't proclaim your acceptance of all while neglecting half the students here. I'm sure there are Slytherin girls out there who think as you do. See what they have to say."

They must have listened because, the next time they met, several female Slytherins came along.

In early December is was clear to Tyriana that she and Julian were in it for the long haul and she began to plan ahead. Part of this included writing her parents a letter:

Dear Mom and Dad,

I hope you are doing well. I'm sorry I didn't write sooner. I was extraordinarily busy training my Quidditch team. Great news: we won our first match (the big one I talked obsessively about all summer) by a landslide! 600-370. It would've been 750-220 but I took some mercy on the other team.

Things have calmed down a bit since and I'm enjoying my last year a lot more now. I've even dating (what?!) a boy named Julian Hawkins and he's absolutely amazing! He's really kind, open-minded, smart, cute, observant, and amusing. He cares so much for me I'm genuinely floored. I'm planning on asking him to visit over Christmas break for dinner or something. Is that okay with you?

You know how much I love it here but I still can't wait to come home and see you again!

Love,

Tyriana

She'd been very careful to conceal Julian's identity. Her parents knew what Slytherin house was, and in the past she'd led them to believe that was where all of the bad students were. She didn't want them to associate Julian with that crowd.

Her parents had responded a few days later. In Tyriana's opinion, her mother's penmanship was far too extravagant for the year 2013, when cursive was beginning to feel like a forgotten art in the Muggle world. The letter read:

Dear Tyriana,

We are doing very well. The gym is flourishing with new customers recently on a scale that we usually only see when people begin their New Year's Resolutions. We hope these new folks stay on longer than those who come for their resolutions and then give up after a week.

I'm so glad that you won your game after all of that hard work and money. Your father isn't sure how 600-370 qualifies as "taking mercy," though. Congratulations!

We're both very happy to hear that you have finally met a boy that you like and he sounds like a fine young man. We'd love to host Julian for dinner over Christmas break and look forward to meeting him. Let us know when he can visit.

How are your classes going? We hope you haven't forgotten them amidst all of this other excitement!

Take care,

Mom & Dad

Tyriana wrote back:

Dear Mom and Dad,

I'm glad to hear that business is going well. If the clients are still around by the time you're reading this then I'd say they've survived longer than most of the New Year's Resolution crowd. I hope that is the case.

I'll ask Julian to dinner in the next few days & I'll let you know what he says.

My classes are going well. My performance dropped a bit while I was preparing for the Quidditch match but now I've got everything back under control again. Julian and I don't share any classes unfortunately but we still like to do our homework together. Since when has note-taking and essay-writing been so fun and romantic?

Love,

Tyriana

Not expecting a reply for a few more days, Tyriana considered how and when she was going to ask Julian to dinner with her parents.

 **December 14th, 2013**

Tyriana slowly drifted back to consciousness after a pleasant night of sleep. She was sprawled on the bed and recalled having gone to sleep alone. She definitely wasn't alone anymore, however. She could feel the weight of an arm draped across her chest.

Tyriana opened her eyes and saw that the arm belonged to Julian. He must've decided that he wanted to snuggle with her in the middle of the night. She rolled towards him, gazing at his adorable face while he slept. She nibbled on her lower lip, imagining the many ways she could wake him.

Leaning closer, Tyriana placed kisses all over his face and nuzzled his jaw. His eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Rise and shine," she whispered. "After breakfast we're going to Hogsmeade. But first I need to ask you something."

"What's that?"

"Do you want to come for dinner at my parents' house sometime over break? They'd love to have you."

"Of course," he said. "I'd be honored to meet your parents. They must be pretty amazing to raise someone like you."

" _Aww_ stop it," she giggled, covering his mouth with her finger. "We're going to need to discuss when you'll visit sometime when I'm not so horny."

"Deal," he chuckled. His arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her on top of him. Tyriana willingly threw all of her rational thoughts aside and lost herself in her love for him.

An hour and a half later she was trudging through the snow to Hogsmeade with Julian and both of their circles of friends. Tyriana had been a bit surprised when he'd abruptly rejected their original plan to secretly meet at Tomes and Scrolls at 10:30. Not only had he decided to walk down to breakfast with her, but he'd also promised that they'd spend the whole day together. "We're not hiding anymore."

"But… what about your father?" she'd asked.

"He's in Azkaban," he had reminded her. "What he doesn't know can't hurt him. Not that I care much about his opinion anyways. And even if he did find out he wouldn't be able to do anything from _that_ prison."

The students in the Great Hall who'd happened to be looking in the direction of the entrance when she and Julian had entered had been given quite a surprise. Hand in hand, they had sauntered in with jovial expressions. The room had noticeably quieted. Both had thoroughly ignored the attention they were getting and headed for their respective tables.

"Wait… are you guys going public now?" Brielle had asked.

"I guess so," she'd said.

Now she was walking arm-in-arm with Julian to Hogsmeade, surrounded by some of her favorite people. The groups of students walking in front and behind them kept casting suspicious glances, no doubt wondering why two individuals they'd believed to be the bitterest of rivals were now strolling along together, chatting pleasantly amongst each other's best friends.

Tyriana used the opportunity provided by a pause in her conversation with Julian to observe her friends' interactions with his buddies. The two groups were truly mingling. Delaney looked to be having a jovial chat with Jensen. Brielle and Siobhan were talking to Riley and Aiden about their families' Christmas traditions and Alara and Finley were debating whether or not the Shrieking Shack was actually haunted.

Upon arriving at Hogsmeade, the sizable group of ten visited Honeydukes and Zonko's Joke Shop. At the former, Brielle, Siobhan and Julian managed to pressure Tyriana into splurging on a handful of sweets to celebrate the season.

At both shops they all received confused stares. If Julian and Tyriana hooking up was odd, it was even stranger to see a whole group of Gryffindor girls getting along so well with a group of Slytherin guys. What was more, they were acting completely natural about it.

There was a photographer taking students' pictures down the street. The group paid for several, including one of Tyriana and her friends, one of Julian and his friends, and another of all of them.

"Go on and get a table for all of us at the Three Broomsticks before it gets too crowded," Julian told his friends after the group shot. Nodding to Tyriana, he explained, "I want some pictures with my lovely girlfriend."

A thrill of excitement zapped through Tyriana's body. Having some way of commemorating their relationship and this day sounded absolutely brilliant to her. Julian paid for three more pictures as Jensen, Delaney, Riley, Aiden, Siobhan, Brielle, Alara and Finley headed off for the Three Broomsticks.

The first picture was pretty standard. They stood side-by-side as they faced the camera, angling towards each other subtly with their arms across each other's backs. In the second, he surprised her by kissing her on the cheek while the camera was rolling. Her smile broadened helplessly as a wave of heat surged through her from the point of contact. He stood behind her for the third picture, his arms comfortingly clasped over her belly.

The photographer handed the printed photos to them and, like all wizard photographs, they moved like GIFs on the Muggle internet.

"Can I keep this one?" Julian asked her, holding up the second image. "The way your smile widens and your eyes brighten when I kiss you is way too adorable and I have to have it. You can have the other two."

"Fair enough," she said, sliding the first and third photos into her coat pocket.

They headed to the Three Broomsticks, where their friends had managed to put two tables together. "I'm afraid there's only one available chair," Finley said. "I guess that means you'll have to sit on Julian's lap, Tyriana." His eyes twinkled mischievously.

Tyriana had no problem with that and she enthusiastically plopped herself down on top of Julian.

" _Oomph_ ," he grunted. "You really know how to throw your weight around, Gallagher."

"Of course I do, _Hawkins_ ," she playfully retorted, wiggling her butt around a little bit in his lap before she found a comfortable position in a blatant ploy to tantalize him.

"You're going to get me in trouble if you keep doing that, you crazy girl," he murmured. Their friends who were within earshot laughed.

"I won't pretend to be sorry."

"So," Julian said abruptly, making it clear that he was moving beyond her antics.

He glanced at Jensen, who was still deep in conversation with Delaney. Knowing her friend, Tyriana figured it was a safe bet the conversation would soon — if it hadn't already — head in a flirtatious direction.

"Am I seeing this right?" Julian muttered to Aiden.

"You tell me."

"You are," Tyriana confirmed. "I bet she's going to take him to Madam Puddifoot's soon and, when they get back to Hogwarts, they'll go to the Room of Requirement."

"The Room of what?" Julian asked.

"You two haven't used it yet?" Alara sounded shocked.

"We have a suite all to ourselves, you know," Tyriana interrupted. "That's plenty for our purposes."

"What are you girls talking about?" Aiden asked.

"The Room of Requirement. It's our little dirty secret," Alara said.

"It's where Alara and Delaney take boys they want to shag," Tyriana explained. "If you know how to access the room, it will transform into whatever you most need at that moment. I have insisted that it has the potential to be used for better things than satisfying the desires of horny teenagers but, alas, that's all they've ever used it for. What a bloody waste."

Julian and his friends exchanged glances.

"What better use is there for it than shagging?" Alara asked. "Please enlighten me, Tyriana."

"Well, I heard rumors that it was the base of operations for the resistance during the attack on Hogwarts," Tyriana said. "That's a _much_ better use of the Room of Requirement."

"Have you ever used it?" Julian asked her.

"A few times," she admitted. "I threw away some junk in there once. And that's where I took Caden on our first date. I created a simulation of a lake park that I visited as a kid. We had a picnic."

"We should use it like that sometime," Julian said. "It's too cold outside for a picnic at this time of year."

"Sure," she agreed. Her eyes caught motion at the door. "Hey, Alara? Your boyfriend's here."

Alara spun around so fast that she nearly knocked all of the drinks off of the table. Seeing that Tyriana was right, she scrambled across the room and, hardly a minute later, she and her Hufflepuff boyfriend had left. Not too long after that, Delaney beckoned for Jensen to follow her and they left, too.

"And then there were seven," Tyriana muttered, eying their remaining friends.

"That's enough for a Quidditch team," Julian quipped.

"You and I would kill each other trying to become the Seeker," Tyriana pointed out.

"Not necessarily," he said. "I'd let you be Seeker. I've always thought it would be fun to try being a Chaser."

"Actually, you would only have six players," Brielle said. "I'm terrified of heights. You're not getting me on one of those bloody brooms."

"Tyriana, your best friend hates flying?" Julian exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"Yep."

"I… I can't believe that. I never would've guessed."

"We met on the Hogwarts Express before I even knew what Quidditch was. We shared a dorm for our first six years at Hogwarts," Tyriana explained. "I can bond with people over more things than just Quidditch, Julian."

"I never doubted that. Anyways, Finley and I go way back, too," Julian said, nodding across the table. "He and I met a few years before we came to Hogwarts. Our mothers were friends, as I recall."

Finley nodded. "Remember those kiddie brooms we used to practice Quidditch on because your mum wouldn't let us ride real ones?"

Julian's eyes gleamed with nostalgia. "I'd totally forgotten about that! Thanks for reminding me. Merlin's beard, I was an ass back then."

"You were brilliant on a broom, though."

"He still is," Tyriana interjected.

"That's high praise, coming from her," Siobhan said. "I first met Tyriana at our first flying lesson in first year. She told me that I looked like a drunk bird."

Tyriana blushed. "Sorry about that. I was an ass back then, too."

"A match made in Muggle heaven," Aiden grinned, pointing at Tyriana and Julian.

"Who would've guessed?" Seeing that Julian had also finished his drink, Tyriana turned his attention to him. "I can't send packages easily over break so I thought I'd get you a Christmas present now. Want to go pick something?"

"Sure," he said. She stood and he held out a hand, as if he needed help getting up. "My legs fell asleep."

"I doubt that," she said, but she hauled him to his feet singlehandedly anyways. He stretched and groaned so she smacked his vulnerable stomach. "Come on, old man."

She expected him to make a beeline for Tomes and Scrolls to pick a book but instead he headed for Sprintwitches Sporting Goods. He pointed to the Firebolt Supreme in the window. "That's what I want."

"That's a _huge_ gift, Julian. I can't afford it."

He chuckled. "I was joking, Tyriana. You should've seen the look on your face."

"What do you actually want?"

He shrugged and opened the door of the shop for her. "I'll know when I see it."

The shop was a bit more occupied than it had been during her previous visit, which Tyriana thought was odd given that there wasn't a Quidditch match right around the corner. She recognized a few people; Lydia was talking to Madam Marsden in front of a display of Keeper's gloves and Caden was in the corner, looking at Beater's bats. Tyriana thought his antics were all a guise, though, since he was Hufflepuff's reserve Keeper. There was no reason for him to look at Beater's gear. His eyes seemed to be wandering in Lydia's direction quite frequently.

Tyriana's blood boiled. She really liked Lydia, and she was not about to watch someone as despicable as Caden make a move on her Keeper. She kept an eye on him as she followed Julian, who was wandering through the store. Caden didn't seem to have noticed them yet.

When Madam Marsden finished chatting with Lydia and went to go help another customer, the Gryffindor Keeper began looking through the selection of Keeper's gloves. Tyriana watched Caden put the bat he'd been holding aside — he didn't even return it to it's proper position on the display shelf — and make a beeline for Lydia.

Tyriana watched him engage Lydia in what looked like a pleasant and friendly conversation. She knew better than to think of it that way.

"What are you waiting for?" Julian muttered. He'd clearly seen the same thing. "Go confront him. I've got your back."

Tyriana made her way across the shop. "Caden?"

He turned and she could tell by his expression that he knew exactly what she was trying to do. He tried to wave her off. "Could you give us a second, Tyriana? I'm trying to hold a friendly conversation here."

"Bullshit." Tyriana glanced up at Lydia, who looked like she wanted to greet Tyriana but hadn't found a suitable opening in the conversation yet. The Keeper's eyes were flitting back and forth between Julian, Tyriana and Caden, trying to figure out the relationship between them. Speaking to her Keeper, Tyriana said, "Don't listen to Caden, Lydia. He's a player."

That was the quickest and most efficient way to put Lydia on guard, and Tyriana could see that she immediately began looking at Caden in a new light.

"And you're clearly showing what good taste you've got now that you're hand-in-hand with a fucking Slytherin, Gallagher," Caden snorted. "Is the key to your heart saving your life and nothing more?"

"I had feelings for him before that. I saw that Julian has grown since he was Sorted," Tyriana explained. "He's much more of a Ravenclaw now. Besides, even though he is technically a Slytherin he's still a hundred times the man that you are."

Caden flinched. Obviously his perception of his own masculinity was very important to him. He glanced at Lydia. "Can you believe these two? Come on; how about we—"

"—I can believe them," Lydia interrupted, her brown eyes burning holes in Caden. "And if you say one more word to me I will hex your ass."

Caden noticed that her fingers were impatiently lingering near her wand. "But… I'm a Prefect!"

"And I'm the Head Girl, your boss." Tyriana told him, winking at Lydia. "I say she can do whatever she wants to you and I'll just turn the other way and pretend I didn't see it."

"Me too," Julian agreed.

Caden scowled. "Alright, then. Fuck all of you." He stormed out of the shop.

"Good riddance," Tyriana muttered.

"Thanks for warning me about him, Tyriana," Lydia said.

"No problem."

The Gryffindor Keeper's eyes focused on the very short distance between Tyriana and Julian. "Pardon me but… are you two actually…?"

"Dating? Yes."

Lydia's mouth opened and closed a few times, like she wanted to say something but couldn't decide what. Tyriana patted her on the back.

"You'll get used to it. Think of him like a Ravenclaw." Nodding to the display of Keeper's gloves, Tyriana said, "Those look nice." She handed some galleons to Lydia. "Pick something good and call it a Christmas present from me."

"Thanks, Tyriana." Lydia blushed. "You're so nice."

"I try."

"She is very nice," Julian agreed. "We're here looking for my Christmas present."

"I'm surprised you didn't go to Tomes and Scrolls," Tyriana muttered.

"Everyone who actually knows me gets books. I thought something Quidditch-related would be much more your style."

"I suppose it is. Any idea what you want yet?"

He shook his head. "Let's keep looking."

Lydia tagged along like a third wheel. "Um… are you bitter about losing the match?"

"No," Julian said. "Gryffindor deserved the win, and it made Tyriana happy." He gave her an affectionate squeeze. "Besides, I did my job and got the points for the Snitch. I can't complain."

"Oh. Um… I guess I'll go back to looking at gloves." Lydia went back across the shop.

"She's not usually that awkward," Tyriana said. "She's truly an amazing girl. She saved me from getting hexed by Zannah once."

"That's good," Julian said as he thoughtfully ran his fingers down a shelf of Quidditch-related toys. Finally, he stopped. "This is what I want." It was a model of a Snitch that hovered silently above a little stand, its wings beating silently. Tyriana suspected that the wings were just for show; the stand had to have some kind of levitation charm in it that kept the Snitch directly above it.

"That's cool," she said.

"It'll be something to remember my time as a Seeker by."

"You're not thinking about playing professionally?" she asked. They hadn't talked about their post-graduation plans yet but she was a little disappointed to hear that he wasn't interested in continuing to play the sport.

"Are you?"

"Yes. The Holyhead Harpies and Puddlemere United have both expressed interest in signing me."

"The two oldest teams in the British and Irish Quidditch League," Julian mused. "You'd fit in with the Harpies; they like female players whose first or last name starts with the letter G."

Tyriana nodded. "That's where I'd like to go. I heard they're sending a scout to observe my match against Hufflepuff. What about you?"

"I'd like to work in the Ministry. I want to improve my family's reputation and make a difference in the world."

"What department?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure yet."

"You still have time."

They went up to the counter to pay Madam Marsden. "Ah, Tyriana! I heard you won the Quidditch match! Congratulations! And… is that you, Julian Hawkins?"

"It is me, yes," he confirmed.

"Merlin's beard, you've grown up a lot since I last saw you. I almost didn't recognize you!"

He chuckled. "Don't embarrass me in front of my girlfriend."

Madam Marsden's eyes flicked back and forth between them for a solid ten seconds. "Two Seekers getting together. Should've seen it coming," she muttered. Then, louder, she said, "Congratulations, you two. No wonder you want this Snitch."

"It's my Christmas present to him," Tyriana said, passing the correct number of coins to Madam Marsden to pay for it.

"A good choice," she said, slipping the Snitch model into a bag. "Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy the winter season!"

"Thanks! You too," they chorused as they stepped back out into the snow.

Julian put his free arm around her waist. "Thanks for the Christmas gift. I'll be sending yours to you a bit closer to Christmas."

"Fair enough," she said, snuggling closer to him in an effort to bask in the heat of his body. They passed Madam Puddifoot's, and Tyriana spotted Alara and her Hufflepuff boyfriend snogging through the window.

"Now let's go to Tomes and Scrolls," Julian suggested.

Tyriana rolled her eyes. "You and books."

"You and brooms," he countered.

"Touché."


	24. Julian Comes to Dinner

**Chapter 24**

 **Julian Comes to Dinner**

 **December 29th, 2013**

Tyriana loved her parents' home. She'd grown up there and, no matter how long she stayed at Hogwarts, the modest house always felt like home. The comfy and welcoming interior beckoned to her.

During the Christmas season the home seemed even cozier. The Christmas tree was still up in the living room, radiating warm light and boasting dozens of ornaments. Many of the ornaments had a history in the family. Tyriana had bolstered her mother's Santa and reindeer collection with her own collection of Nutcrackers. She added a new one to the tree every year.

Until Christmas Eve there had been an assemblage of presents under the tree. Besides the usual gifts from her relatives, she'd also received a box from Julian. Inside was a tin of chocolate, a Holyhead Harpies jersey and a book that analyzed the team's most famous victories from the past 810 years.

On the evening of December 29th, Tyriana was sitting anxiously in the living room at the front of the house when she heard the familiar sound of an apparition in their front yard. Glancing at the clock, she saw that her boyfriend had arrived perfectly on time.

"He's here," she called in the direction of the kitchen as she scrambled to her feet and over to the door. She didn't wait for him to knock, instead hurrying out to meet him at the bottom of the porch steps. She threw herself into his arms with such vigor that he had to take a step back.

"I've missed you, Tyriana," he whispered after a long and passionate kiss that threatened to get excessively steamy before they both managed to rein themselves in.

"I've missed you, too," she replied. Noticing for the first time that he was smartly dressed in a nice blazer and collared shirt, she added,"You're so handsome."

"And you're as gorgeous as ever," he replied.

She smiled. "Come on inside; it's cold out here. I'll introduce you to my parents." She took his hand and led him up the steps and into the house.

Julian hesitated in the entryway, taking stock of the surroundings, which she was sure he found to be quite unfamiliar. His eyes focused curiously on the TV that could be seen through the door to the family room. "Muggle picture frames can show multiple images in color?"

Tyriana laughed. "That's a television," she said. "Have you heard of those?"

"I thought they were big boxes."

She bit back another chuckle, not wanting to embarrass him. "A decade or two ago, they were box-like. Nowadays everybody's obsessed with making them thin."

"Interesting."

Henry, Tyriana's father, approached from the kitchen.

"Mr. Gallagher?" Julian said, shaking his hand as Tyriana had instructed in a letter on Muggle customs she'd sent him a few days previously. "Pleased to meet you."

"You must be Julian," said Henry, displaying a warm smile that completely negated the potential of his muscular stature for intimidation. "Pleased to meet you, too. Tyriana's told my wife and I a lot about you."

"All good things, I hope?" Julian quipped, teasing his own charming grin.

"Yes, believe it or not."

"I don't," he said modestly, and Tyriana laughed.

"You're perfect everywhere that it matters, Julian," she said.

"Oh, thank you," he said, putting an arm around her shoulder and giving her an affectionate squeeze against his side. She couldn't stop herself from beaming.

"Dinner's almost ready," said her father, heading towards the kitchen with the obvious expectation that they'd follow. Tyriana went first, leading Julian by the hand down the hall to the kitchen.

Her mother, Isla, looked up as they entered. "Ah, Julian. I've been looking forward to meeting you."

"Likewise," he said, shaking her hand with confidence.

"Mum, I was thinking I'd show Julian around, if there's time before dinner," Tyriana said.

"Go ahead. I'll call when dinner's ready."

"Have you ever been inside a Muggle house before?" Tyriana asked as she led Julian upstairs.

"I don't think so," he said.

"I'm trying to imagine what this must be like for you," she said. "Everything must be so unusual." They reached the landing at the top of the stairs and paused.

"It is. What's that?" Julian was pointing to a small, squat cylinder hanging discretely from the ceiling with a small flashing light.

"Smoke detector," she said. "It detects fires and warns us with a siren."

"Ingenious," he murmured.

Tyriana resumed her tour, pointing out her parents bedroom, the guest room, and her room.

"This is cozy," he said of the latter. He was really taking the time to investigate everything here. She sat down on her bed, watching him with a helplessly charmed smile on her face. She appreciated the effort he was making to understand and embrace her world.

"Why do you have two televisions in here?" he asked.

Following his gaze, she saw that he'd failed to identify the differences between her TV on one side of the room and her laptop on the other. She explained that, even though both had screens, they served entirely different purposes. He seemed fascinated with her laptop once she told him that it was a small computer — apparently he had heard that term before (although she quickly discovered that his understanding of what that meant was quite skewed) — and she had to demonstrate how it worked. His enthusiasm was absurdly endearing. She'd barely scratched the surface of the computer's capabilities (and hadn't even gotten to the Internet) when she heard her mother's voice calling, "Tyriana! Dinner's ready!"

"We're coming, Mum," she said, leading Julian back downstairs.

"It smells delicious," he said, sniffing as they returned to the kitchen. "What did you make?"

"Grilled chicken," said Isla. "I wasn't sure what wizarding families eat so I thought I'd make something simple."

"Well, thank you. That sounds wonderful," Julian said.

Tyriana was glad that her parents had forewent their usual absurdly healthy cuisine in an effort to make something that was still nutritious but more broadly palatable.

A moment later they were all seated at the table. Julian had insisted on not only carrying his own plate but also the salad.

"So," said Henry after they'd all had a few bites and Julian had declared that Isla's cooking was fantastic. "Tyriana tells us that you come from a wizarding family, Julian. What's life like in the wizarding world?"

Tyriana could read Julian's eyes well enough to see that his family was the exact subject that he'd been hoping to avoid. Thankfully, the question wasn't directly aimed at that subject.

"Well, that's a tough question to answer because I'd have to know a lot about your world to identify the major differences. If there's one thing I've discovered from my first fifteen minutes here it's that there's a lot of things the classes I've taken on your society have overlooked."

"Such as?"

"A lot of his information is twenty to thirty years out of date," Tyriana said. "It's not that Muggle Studies is a bad class. It's just that it's from the wizarding perspective and the two communities don't interact all that much. Cultural information takes a while to cross the gap."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Julian said. "For example, I had an idea of what a computer was but I didn't know that there were kinds that folded, nor had I ever seen one. I didn't know that televisions were flat and thin now, either. The more I see of the ways that Muggles solve problems without magic, the more I respect them. Tyriana was showing me one of those little cylinders on the ceiling a moment ago… What's it called?"

"A smoke detector," she supplied.

"Absolutely brilliant," Julian said, his eyes visibly enthusiastic. "Ingenious, really."

Tyriana could tell that her parents were uncertain of how to respond his treating of everyday technologies as miracles. "Julian is really interested in improving the wizarding community's view of Muggles," she explained.

"Is their perception of us bad enough that it needs improvement?" Isla asked.

Realizing that she'd just dug him a deep hole to climb out of, Tyriana flashed a deeply apologetic expression in his direction.

Julian shifted in his seat. "Well, you see, there are those in the wizarding community — particularly amongst the demographic that I'm from — who believe themselves to be superior because of their pureblood status." Quickly, he added, "I absolutely disagree with that ideology and I've been working for a few months now on forming a Society of students at Hogwarts from those backgrounds who condemn prejudice and intolerance. We hope to shift the attitude of the pureblood community towards greater acceptance and understanding."

"That's a noble pursuit," Henry said. Tyriana silently sighed with relief. Julian had saved himself from having to delve too deeply into his background.

"I've been helping Julian and his friends where I can," Tyriana said.

"We've been asking her about Muggle culture and her perspective on wizardkind as a Muggleborn. We think that it is very important to understand those that we seek to improve our society's perception of," Julian elaborated.

"Well, we wish you luck," said Tyriana's father.

"Thank you, Mr. Gallagher."

"Tell us about your parents, Julian," said Isla. It was intended as an innocent question, but Tyriana knew that her mother had just hit a landmine without even knowing it.

"Well… uh… my family's upper class in the wizarding world," he said. "We have a long history and my father works as a top assistant to the Minister at the Ministry of Magic." Julian swallowed. "Or, rather, he did. He got caught making some… uh… inappropriate and insensitive comments recently. There was an investigation that uncovered more... problematic stuff. Frankly, I'm glad that he got caught. My mother and I have very different views than him and we've distanced ourselves from him and my older brother. I wish I had something better to say about my family but that's the truth."

There was a painfully long silence.

"Stuff like that is tough to go through and even tougher to share," Henry finally said.

"I guess it's my determination not to be my father that's motivated me to form that Society," Julian said. "And when I graduate I'm hoping to get a job at the Ministry of Magic. I want to redeem my family's name and make a difference in Muggle-wizard relations. I presume that Tyriana has told you that she wants to play for a professional Quidditch team when she graduates?"

Tyriana was glad that Julian had invented a decent segue that forced Henry and Isla to switch subjects to answer. She thought that they'd gotten lucky with her parents' reactions so far and she didn't want to push them any further by letting it slip that he was a Slytherin.

"Yes, she's told us," said Isla. "What were the names of the teams who've contacted you, dear?"

"The Holyhead Harpies and Puddlemere United. I know the names are kind of weird but they're both world-class teams that've been around for almost a thousand years."

"That's a long time," said Henry.

"Well, wizarding society is pretty static," Julian explained. "Once we figured out all of the useful spells and set up organizations like the Ministry of Magic things have been fairly stable and steady, for the most part. That's why a lot of wizards think rather conservatively and dislike change."

There was a pause, during which that sunk in and everybody focused on their dinner.

"It's pretty crazy to believe that our daughter is going professional in a sport that we've never seen her play," Isla said to her husband.

Henry nodded.

"That's unfortunate, really," Julian said. "I'm sure you'd love it. Quidditch is almost as fun to spectate as it is to play."

"You play Quidditch too?"

"Yes," Julian nodded.

 _Careful_ , Tyriana thought. _Don't say you play for Slytherin!_ She'd told Julian in her letter a few days previously that her parents had a negative perception of Slytherin and that it would be best not to bring the subject up.

"What house team are you on?"

Tyriana resisted the urge to wince as her mother hit another landmine.

"Gryffindor, just like Tyriana," Julian lied. "In fact, I'm the reserve Seeker. If something bad happens to her I take over. That's why I spend every match hoping that I don't have to play!"

Everybody laughed.

"Did you have to play in that recent match against Slytherin?"

"A little bit," Julian said. He hastily added, "Not because Tyriana was hurt, though. It was just such a long match — nine hours, I believe — and the reserve players were brought in for a little while so that the main roster could rest."

"Wow. So there's no time limit?"

"Nope. The game ends when one team's Seeker catches a little golden ball with wings called the Snitch. Anyways, I think Tyriana will do fantastic in the professional league. She's got natural talent and her determination to win makes beating her practically impossible. I only know that because she and I faceoff during training sessions and she wins most of the time."

Tyriana blushed. His tone was so convincing that she almost believed he was actually on the Gryffindor Quidditch team for a moment. "Don't sell yourself short," she protested. To her parents, she added, "Julian's really talented, too. He could probably go professional too, if he wanted to."

He waved her off. "You're flattering me."

"It's true, though! If I'm not careful I'll be the reserve Seeker." Determining that her parents were tiring of this back-and-forth, she tried to transition to another topic. "Anyways, um, we've only been talking about Julian. I think he'd love to hear about you, Mum and Dad."

Her parents told Julian about their gym. This topic seemed to fascinate him. They got into a deep discussion of why some Muggles really cared for their bodies and exercised frequently while others didn't. Tyriana wasn't paying much attention to the specifics of the conversation. She was silently watching her boyfriend and smiling with pride. _He is truly wonderful_ , she thought.

The conversation continued well past the point at which everybody had finished their dinner. Julian asked Tyriana's parents how they felt knowing that the wizarding world existed. He asked what they had thought when they found out that their daughter was a witch. After answering those questions , her parents turned the conversation back to Hogwarts. They asked his opinion on things that she'd told them much about, such as the classes and the grounds.

Tyriana sensed that Julian's answers were satisfying her parents. Eventually, they cleared the table and Isla and Tyriana automatically went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. Julian tagged along.

"Can I help with anything?"

"We've got it just fine," Isla said.

Not wanting Julian to be left out, Tyriana ignored her mother and handed Julian the cloth she'd been using to dry the dishes Isla washed. "How about you dry them and I'll put them away?"

"Fair enough."

With three people working the dishes were done in a fraction of the usual time.

"Thank you for helping," Isla said to Julian.

"No problem."

"I assume that wizarding folk just wash the dishes with a spell?"

"Most do," Julian admitted. "That being said, there's something about getting in there and getting your hands dirty — or, in this case, clean — that I like. Sure, magic is very convenient but it takes the joy out of doing things and you start to take it for granted after a while."

"That's also a good description for technology," Isla noted.

"It is," Tyriana agreed.

"Fascinating," Julian said, looking thoughtful.

"How long can you stay?" Tyriana asked him.

He shrugged. "A little while, although I don't want to push it too far. I told my mother I was going to Aiden's house for dinner."

"She doesn't know?" Tyriana asked.

He shook his head. "I didn't want to give her more things to worry about than she already has. If she did know, though, I think she wouldn't mind us being together. She was a Ravenclaw when she was at Hogwarts."

"So your brother inherited your Dad's qualities and you inherited your mother's, huh?"

"Ultimately, yes."

"I thought you said you were a Gryffindor," Isla said.

"He is," Tyriana said quickly. "He just acts like a Ravenclaw sometimes."

Julian nodded in agreement. "I love reading books and learning things."

"Fair enough," Isla said. "No need to get defensive, you two."

They wandered into the family room, where Tyriana's father was watching the news on TV.

"Do you want to sit down for a few and watch some television?" Tyriana asked Julian, noticing that his eyes were focused on the screen.

"Sure."

They sat down and she noticed him staring curiously at the TV as if he was trying to figure out what he was watching. "It's a news broadcast," she explained.

"I was just about to guess that," he said. "This is the Muggle equivalent of reading the Daily Prophet?"

"Yes, since so few Muggles read actual printed newspapers anymore."

After several consecutive stories on crime and violence, he said, "Isn't this rather depressing to watch?"

"Yes, but it's not all like this. The news is organized so that all of the similar stories are grouped together. Each section is usually separated by a series of advertisements." Right on cue, a colorful ad appeared on the screen. "Companies make these to try and sell products to consumers in the audience."

"We studied this a little bit in Muggle Studies, although we only looked at print advertisements. They were very similar to advertisements in the Daily Prophet, as I recall. The goal is to create familiarity with the brand or an association between a specific need and a product that addresses it, yes?"

"Yep."

"Is television advertising effective?"

Tyriana considered the question. "I don't know," she said after a moment. "There are so many variables between the point where the consumer sees the ad and the point that they actually buy the product that the advertisers have to run large and complicated studies to judge their effectiveness."

Julian absorbed that in silence. After about half-an-hour of watching and occasionally chatting he asked where the bathroom was. Tyriana gave him directions.

When he was gone, Isla leaned towards Tyriana. "I really like him. He's so charming!"

"He's very polite," Henry agreed. Tyriana sensed that he was proud of her for choosing such a gentleman.

"I agree," she said.

"It's unfortunate that his family is in such a spot right now," said her father.

"Is that going to be a problem?" Tyriana asked nervously.

"Well, I don't know about your father but I found his efforts to distinguish himself and understand us to be endearing," Isla said.

Tyriana turned to Henry. Her father was protective and she worried that he was going to disagree. "I felt the same," he admitted after a terribly suspenseful pause.

They heard the bathroom door open in the distance and the conversation quieted. Julian returned a moment later.

"Do you want to go upstairs again?" Tyriana asked him.

"Sure."

She hoped the question didn't cause her parents to worry that she was taking him upstairs to shag. That was not her intention, although she supposed that it could happen if they were quick and quiet enough. Her primary intention was just to get some more alone time with him where they could talk freely. She also wanted to give her parents a little more time to discuss their impressions of Julian.

She led him up the staircase. Even though he had already been upstairs once she noticed that he was still looking around curiously, as if he'd missed a lot of things the first time.

"Are those plugs?" he asked, pointing.

"Yes," she said. "They supply electricity to devices that they are connected to."

He nodded. "Like your computer."

"Yes, although it can power itself for a few hours."

"That's an amazing piece of technology," he said as they entered her room.

"And I only showed you a fraction of what it can do," she said. "I didn't even get to the Internet." She spent the next ten minutes explaining how the internet worked and showing him websites like YouTube. The concept of social media sites like Facebook seemed to particularly interest him.

Eventually, he said, "Well, I've really enjoyed visiting but I should probably get going. I don't want to make my mother too suspicious."

"Alright." She got up to go downstairs but he pulled her into his arms and exchanged several kisses of the variety that neither of them wanted her parents to see. After a long moment he pulled away and they gazed at each other, both of them breathless.

"Your eyes are magical," he murmured.

"Thanks. You have nice eyes, too."

He chuckled. "They literally pale in comparison to yours. Come on."

They went downstairs. "Julian's heading out," she told her parents, who got up and joined her in walking him to the door.

"Thank you for having me, Mr. and Mrs. Gallagher," he said, shaking their hands. "It was great to meet you and dinner was fantastic."

"The pleasure was ours," Isla said. "We'd love to have you back sometime."

"I look forward to it," he said. His eyes twinkling with mischief, he nodded in Tyriana's direction. "If she continues to put up with me, that is."

Everybody laughed. Her parents said goodbye and stepped back to give Tyriana and Julian some space for their own farewell, but she opted to move to the front walk. It was cold, but that gave her an excuse to hug him for almost a minute.

She found herself reflecting on their relationship so far and arrived at a question that she had yet to ask. "When did you know that you liked me?" she asked.

He considered the question for a moment. "There wasn't really a specific moment that I can point to that created some radical shift in how I felt about you. It was very gradual. That being said, if I had to pick one moment it would be when you fell asleep on the couch and I carried you to bed. I realized then just how good helping you felt and I knew that I wanted to always be there for you from then on. Besides, your friends asked me to do it so I knew that, based on the information you were giving them, they thought there might be something between us."

"That's sweet," she said softly.

"I'm glad you think so. What about you?"

It was her turn to dig through her memories. "I suppose I didn't have a specific moment either. I did really appreciate when you carried me to bed; that had the exact effect I think my friends intended it to have. My opinion of you changed so much over those first two months that I don't know when I stopped hating you and started loving you."

"The gap between hate and love isn't as clear-cut as people often think it is," he said wisely.

She chuckled. "I'm well-aware of that. You still drive me crazy sometimes."

"And I enjoy it." He gave her a Slytherin smirk.

"Anyways, I didn't start to acknowledge my feelings until the end of October. That's why I had that argument with my friends at Hogsmeade. They bluntly forced me to confront those feelings."

He nodded. "I'll add 'bluntness' that to my 'dealing with Tyriana' toolbox."

She fought to keep a straight face. "I suppose it's not a bad tool to have, although it did cause a temporary rift in between my friends and I. Anyways, I'm really glad you came and I'm going to miss you."

He smirked again. "You've turned so sentimental. I hardly recognize you."

She gave him a playful scowl. "Don't you worry; there's still a lioness slumbering somewhere inside of me."

"Good. Thanks for inviting me. Your parents are wonderful people. I'll see you on the train." He lifted her up onto her tippy-toes for one last kiss. "Goodbye, Tyriana."

"Bye, Julian."

He released her, took a step back and disapparated with a _crack_.

 **A/N** : This is where _Rivalry_ was supposed to end. Tyriana & Julian's farewell conversation was originally going to be a much more contemplative reflection on the themes of the story. The Gryffindor vs. Slytherin match was a nice climax but I realized that Tyriana's ultimate goal was always to win the Quidditch Cup and that would be a massive loose end if I stopped here. I'm going to take a break from the daily updates but the story will continue. A stopping point like this is the perfect time to leave a review! (hint hint)

Writing this story has been a great experience and it's helped me get through a particularly boring period in my life. I told myself that this was going to be a one-off but an idea for a second fic is formulating in the back of my mind so maybe it isn't? Only time will tell.


	25. On the Hogwarts Express

**A/N:** Yes, I am still alive. I took a two month break from this story so that I could come back to it refreshed. This is the beginning of the additional bonus chapters. However, I guess at this point you could say that it's _Rivalry Part 2_. There will be longer time jumps between chapters because most of the major story arcs have already been set up and just need to reach their conclusions one-by-one. There's over 50,000 words of new content coming. Expect lots of Tyriana & Julian romance, four great Quidditch matches (and the fate of the Quidditch Cup), some violence, and even more house rivalries. This particular chapter is a bit of filler but the rest won't be. Without further ado, let's get on with it.

 **Chapter 25**

 **On the Hogwarts Express**

 **January 5th, 2014**

"Need a hand, Gallagher?"

Tyriana recognized the voice and a smile blossomed on her face. She gave up trying to put her luggage on the overhead rack in the Prefects' Carriage and turned to face him. "Hawkins." Her tone was light and playful as she briefly returned to using his last name for the sake of nostalgia.

"Tyriana." She loved the way her name rolled off his tongue. "Let's see if I can't give you the height you were so cruelly denied." His hands settled on her waist and he lifted her off the floor, bringing the overhead rack within her reach. She stowed her bag quickly.

"Thanks, Julian." He set her back down gently on the floor and she immediately got back up on her tippy-toes to give him an enthusiastic kiss. "I've missed you," she breathed.

"It's only been a week since I came by for dinner," he chuckled.

"Well, I've kinda grown used to living with you," she admitted. "I love it when we just spend time together."

"I love that too."

The floor lurched under their feet as the train began to move, catching both of them off-guard. Tyriana usually had the lower center of gravity but she was still on her tippy-toes. She tried to grab him for balance but ended up pulling him with her. Both fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs, already laughing at their own clumsiness.

"We're Seekers; we aren't comfortable on our feet," she quipped.

Thankfully, most of the prefects were waving to their families out the window and didn't notice. Tyriana and Julian scrambled to their feet, the former touching a finger to her lips as she met the eyes of the prefects who had witnessed the incident, all of whom were chuckling — except Caden. He was just staring, his expression unreadable.

Tyriana straightened her clothes and returned her attention to the other prefects. "Alright, everybody. Can I have your attention up here? Thank you. I hope you all had a great Christmas holiday. As usual, you are tasked with patrolling the train."

"Let's stagger the prefects out this time," Julian suggested. He pointed to those nearest the back of the carriage. "You four go first. The next few will follow in a minute or two."

Tyriana was more open in admiring Julian's leadership this time around. She stood back and let him do what he did best.

Ten minutes later, they were alone in the Prefects' Carriage. He glanced at her and met her gaze, his face breaking into a charming grin. "You need to stop being so cute."

Tyriana giggled. "We have a whole carriage to ourselves."

"We're not doing _that_ here. What if we were caught? We'll have plenty of time to do that at Hogwarts. How about we go find some friends and sit with them? We can patrol later."

"Alright," she conceded, letting him take her hand and clear a path for her towards the back of the train. Finding a balance between her natural independence and his desire to pamper her was a fine line that they were still working out. Letting him forge through the hallway and make a path was a concession on her part but she knew that her innate stubbornness would balance the playing field shortly. They found Brielle, Siobhan, and Riley chatting in one compartment. "Let's join them," she suggested.

Julian opened the door and gestured for her to enter.

"Hey, girls!" Tyriana exclaimed, hugging Brielle and Siobhan. "Hi, Riley." She plopped herself down in an empty seat. Julian completed his greetings and sat next to her, slipping an arm around her waist in the process.

"How was your Christmas break?" Brielle asked Tyriana.

"Fantastic," she said. "Julian came over for dinner with my parents."

"I met her father face-to-face and lived to tell the tale," he quipped.

Everybody laughed.

"My dad looks like a bear but he's nice," Tyriana chuckled. "He was silently rooting for you. I think my parents are just excited to see me dating somebody."

"Same here," Brielle said.

Tyriana adopted a playful scowl. "You sound like Alara and Delaney. Speaking of them, where are they?"

"Alara's probably with _her_ Asher." Siobhan used a mockingly swooning tone. Asher Morton was the name of Alara's Hufflepuff boyfriend.

"I saw Delaney on the platform earlier," Riley said. "She was with Jensen."

"Are they a thing?" Tyriana asked.

"Since when did gossip interest you?" Siobhan inquired.

Tyriana shrugged. "Since when I got bitten by the love bug."

" _Argh_! She's infected!" Julian exclaimed, throwing himself away from her and across the compartment in a mock escape attempt.

When Tyriana finally managed to somewhat rein in her giggling at his boyish antics, she patted the seat next to her that he had just vacated and applied her best pouty face. "Come back." The degree to which she'd mastered the expression never failed to internally alarm her, but she recognized its usefulness.

Julian feigned a torn expression. "Alright. But only because you're so adorable." Tyriana grinned as he returned to his seat next to her before playfully punching him in the arm. " _Ow_!"

"So your parents liked him?" Siobhan asked.

"I think they were singing his praises almost as loud as I do."

To his credit, Julian turned a little red. "There's no need to suck up to me."

Tyriana tried and failed to stifle her giggles. "I think that came out wrong. I thought you liked it when I did that."

Siobhan and Riley caught on and both burst into their own fits of laughter. That left Julian and Brielle looking at each other in confusion.

"What's so funny?"

Tyriana put her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking with mirth. "Nevermind. I'm not sure whether us three are too mature or too immature for our own good."

"Oh, I get it," Julian said suddenly, his cheeks flushing a bit.

Tyriana, Siobhan and Riley lost it again. Even Brielle, who somehow still hadn't caught on, managed a smile. "What's going on?"

"You're too innocent, Brielle," Tyriana gasped between fits of laughter. "I'm going to pull a tip from your book and tell you it's time to get a boyfriend."

Siobhan nodded in agreement.

Brielle pale skin turned a rosy shade of pink.

"Oh, I love it when the tables turn," Tyriana exclaimed happily. "Time to give you a taste of your own medicine."

"Who should we set her up with?" Siobhan wondered. "Alara or Delaney would know instantly who the right guy is."

Riley suddenly stood and slid into the seat next to Brielle. "How about me?"

Tyriana and Siobhan's jaws dropped. Even Julian looked stunned. Brielle looked like a deer in the headlights.

"Hey, Julian? Weren't you saying something about patrolling the train?" Tyriana asked, grinning mischievously.

"Yeah," he said, catching her meaning. "Let's go."

"Wait! Don't leave me—" Brielle started to protest.

"I'll let Siobhan arbitrate this one," Tyriana said, closing the door. She and Julian hardly made it a dozen feet down the hallway before they burst into laughter. "Did you see the look on her face?"

"She was shocked but she didn't seem upset," Julian chuckled.

"Your friend's got balls," Tyriana said. "He should be in Gryffindor."

"Surely you've learned by now that people can change after being Sorted."

"Of course I know that. You're such a Ravenclaw." She was silent for a moment. "So Brielle and Riley, Delaney and Jensen… Soon all my friends are going to be dating all your friends."

"I don't think Delaney and Jensen are together," he said slowly. "She's not his type."

"I suppose you're right. So why do they spend so much time together?"

"They could be friends. Or maybe there's benefits." He shrugged. "Who knows?"

"With Delaney you can bet on there being benefits," Tyriana said knowingly.

Julian stopped suddenly and pointed into one of the compartments. "That's something from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. I'll confiscate it."

Tyriana waited while he weaseled his way into the crowded compartment. While he was inside, Tyriana spotted Zannah and the Turnbull sisters approaching.

 _Oh shit_ , she thought. Thankfully, they seemed just as surprised to see her as she was to see them. _So they weren't planning to attack me_ , she concluded, her eyes not leaving them. Her fingers lingered over the familiar and reassuring shape of her wand in her pocket as she strategized. If they tried to hex her she'd use _Protego_ and _Expelliarmus_. If they tried to beat her up again she'd use _Immobulus_ before they got within arms' reach.

The Slytherins hesitated and exchanged glances. Zannah gave a jerk of her head in Tyriana's direction and she and the Turnbull sisters continued forward. Zannah didn't meet Tyriana's blistering gaze and instead kept her eyes on the floor in front of her. She seemed to make a conscious effort to signal that she was looking to pass, not attack, by walking as close to the opposite wall as possible so that there'd be plenty of room for them to avoid touching each other.

Zannah was trying so hard to avoid Tyriana that, just as she was passing, her blouse got caught in the hinge of one of the compartments' doors and ripped, revealing a lot more than Tyriana cared to see. Everyone froze.

The Head Girl reacted first. Unable to believe that she was doing this, Tyriana removed her coat and offered it to Zannah. The garment was a little small but it would be sufficient to get the Slytherin back to her own compartment where she could don her school robes as a more permanent solution.

Zannah hesitated, her eyes finally meeting Tyriana's. After a long stare she snatched the coat and hurried away. Tyriana shrunk back against the wall so that the massive bulk of each of the Turnbull sisters could squeeze past her.

Julian stepped out of the compartment behind her a few seconds after the Slytherins had disappeared down the corridor. He was holding a box of Canary Creams that he'd confiscated. "Where'd your coat go?"

"I gave it to Zannah. She tried to pass me in the hall but got her blouse stuck in a hinge and it ripped before she could stop. She wasn't wearing anything underneath so I gave her my coat."

Julian's mouth opened and closed a few times. He clearly wasn't sure exactly how to react. "That was nice of you," he finally said.

"Hopefully she gives it back," Tyriana said. "That was one of my favorite jackets."

"I'll give her hell if she doesn't give it back," Julian promised.

"Thanks. Let's go dispose of those Canary Creams."

Near the back of the train they encountered the immediate aftermath of a duel that had almost occurred before three prefects had interfered.

"Nice job, ladies and gentlemen," Tyriana said, patting her subordinates on the back. "No one gets hurt on our watch. Let's get these two students away from each other."

Another half hour had passed by the time she and Julian returned to the Prefect's Carriage.

"Hey, Tyriana?" a prefect named Grace called.

"Yeah?"

"A girl came by and left this for you." Grace held up Tyriana's coat.

"Thank you," Tyriana said, slipping her arms into it and sighing in relief as her body immediately began to warm up. _Maybe Zannah's not so bad after all_ , she thought.

"You were cold this whole time?" Julian asked, seeming to have noticed her relief.

Tyriana nodded.

"You don't have to soldier through discomfort," he reminded her. "I would've gladly cast a heating charm on you or, better yet, wrapped you up in a bear hug." He demonstrated the latter by picking her up and squeezing tightly.

"Julian!" she cried, drawing the attention of all of the prefects in the carriage. Laughing, he returned her to the ground. Her tone serious, she continued, "I don't need to be pampered with heating spells."

"You're right," he said. "You don't _need_ those things, but I _want_ to give them to you. I want you to be comfortable and happy, Tyriana."

"I appreciate the gesture but feeling resilient is what makes me happy. I'm only vulnerable and needy when I want to be… or when I really can't handle something."

"Fair enough," he conceded. "That's quintessentially you. Just know that I'm always here for you when you need me."

She nodded. "I know. What do you think we should do next?"

Julian shrugged. "We could patrol some more… or we could go find some friends to sit with for a while."

"Why not both? Let's patrol until we see some people we want to sit with. Come on." This time Tyriana led the way towards the back of the train.

"This reminds me of the first day," Julian chuckled. "You still look like you're drowning amongst all of these taller people."

Tyriana grinned. "Of all the things you said that day that's the one that's stuck with me."

He laughed. "I'm proud of that line, too."

"The delivery was perfect, too." She sighed and brushed the memory aside. "I'm so glad you were able to get through all my bullshit."

"You didn't make it easy."

"I'm Tyriana Gallagher. Nothing can be easily done to me."

They chuckled. "You're a fun challenge," he said.

"I'm flattered."

They'd only walked for a few more seconds when a passing Slytherin muttered, "Traitor," in Julian's direction.

"Excuse me?"

"You're a fucking traitor, Hawkins," said the Slytherin in a louder voice, stopping and turning to face them. "Dating a Gryffindor Mudblood like that."

Julian's wand was out in an instant and Tyriana rushed to put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Don't you ever talk to her that way," he growled at the Slytherin.

"Look at her, holding you back like that. Hex me! Come on! Do it! Why don't you, eh? Can't do it, eh? Don't have the balls? Is she making you weak?"

"Congratulations; you just bought yourself two weeks' detention," Tyriana interrupted, flashing her most intimidating glare. "It'll be three if you don't get out of my sight right now."

The Slytherin sauntered away and Julian lowered his wand. "He sounds like my father."

"All the more reason to get your Society up and running," she replied.

 **A/N** : I still plan to go back and revise the earlier chapters in this story, the most notable changes being uncensoring the T-rated chapters. As for when this will happen I have no idea.


	26. The SSAP

**Chapter 26**

 **The Society of Slytherins Against Prejudice**

 **January 19th, 2014**

Tyriana had to quickly get back into an academic mindset when she returned to Hogwarts. Seventh year N.E.W.T. classes didn't wait for anyone. The assumption at this point in their education was that every student had effective study habits and was on top of his or her education.

However, she was finding it a little difficult to feel motivated. The Holyhead Harpies would be scouting her at the Quidditch match on March 8th and, if they offered her a contract like she hoped they would, her performance on the N.E.W.T. tests wouldn't mean a thing. She'd never need those scores. The salary of a Quidditch player on a world-class team like the Harpies — even one on the team's reserve roster, where her career would no doubt begin — would be more than sufficient to sustain her. She might not ever have to work a day in her whole life and that thought had tremendous appeal. Of course, she expected that she wouldn't abandon Quidditch after retiring from the roster — the sport was like her lifeblood. Being Captain of the Gryffindor team was good practice for a future career coaching in the professional leagues.

Julian, the academic that he was, managed to convince her that a possible Quidditch contract wasn't an excuse to forget her education. "You never know what'll happen. What if you don't get a contract? Look, it's only a few more months and then you'll be done. If anyone can hold on for that long it's you."

Armed with fresh motivation, Tyriana had sunk her teeth back into her classes and, in characteristic fashion, refused to let go.

The Gryffindor Quidditch team also had to get back into the swing of things. They resumed their three-nights-a-week training schedule. She started with the easy stuff and worked them back into more complicated drills, formations and strategies over the course of a few sessions.

Julian told Tyriana that the break seemed to have done the Slytherin team a little good. They were beginning to recover from their upsetting defeat at the hands of her Gryffindors. He said there was no harm in sharing this information with her since there was no longer a match pitting their teams against one another in the future.

For his sake Tyriana was glad that the Slytherin team was getting back into shape. She knew that he enjoyed training and, unlike her, he was not planning on playing professionally. This was his last season. She wanted him to enjoy it.

What really seemed to be exciting Julian these days, however, was the rapidly-approaching first meeting of his Society, which he and his friends had named the Society of Slytherins Against Prejudice. Tyriana thought that was a bit of a mouthful and she immediately began calling it SSAP, which quickly caught on with the others.

She helped Julian and his friends design and create a poster that they placed on the bulletin board in the Slytherin Common Room. On the parchment was the date and location of the first meeting, as well as a blurb succinctly describing the purpose of the Society.

"You're meeting in the Room of Requirement?" Tyriana asked when she saw the finished poster.

Julian nodded. "It's finally going to be used for something better than shagging, as you requested. Can you show us how to use it before the meeting?"

Tyriana looked closer at the meeting date on the poster. 3:00 on Sunday, January 19th. "Sure," she said.

At 2:40 on January 19th, Tyriana and Julian walked hand-in-hand to the Room of Requirement. When they arrived, Aiden was in the process of bewitching the door to stay open and Jensen was hanging a copy of the SSAP poster on the adjacent wall.

"Great job, guys," Julian said, patting them on the back and leading Tyriana inside.

It was right then that the doors Aiden was trying to bewitch abruptly decided to slam closed. They hit Tyriana in the back and she yelped in surprise, springing away from the unexpected impact.

"You okay?" Julian asked, moving between her and the rogue door.

"Fine. Just got surprised," she said, moving restlessly as adrenalin flooded her body.

Julian opened the door to let Aiden and Jensen back in.

"I'm so sorry," Aiden said. "I don't know what just happened."

"It's alright," she said. Whispering in Julian's ear, she added, "I'm just not used to having my ass slapped by anyone — or anything — other than you."

He chuckled and murmured, "Kinky. Now I've gotta get that image out of my head before this meeting starts."

Tyriana grinned mischievously. "I'll get out of the way so that you guys can get ready." She moved to sit on a folding chair in the corner.

The Room of Requirement had certainly adopted a suitable layout for the meeting. There were some plush seats arranged in a semi-circle around an empty space where Julian and the other founders could stand. Folding chairs were gathered in one corner in case the turnout was greater than expected. A fire blazed against one of the walls, filling the space with a cozy and welcoming warmth. There were portraits on the wall.

When they'd first visited the room a few days ago, Julian had pointed to these paintings and told Tyriana that they were all famous Slytherins who hadn't used the Dark Arts. "All of them were in that book I got from Tomes and Scrolls!" He looked around again with a new appreciation for the room. "Somehow it pulled all of this from my memories!"

Tyriana was pulled back to the present as she noticed Riley enter. She got to her feet and approached him. "How's it going, Riley?"

"Hey, Tyriana. It's going well. What about you?"

"I'm doing great," she said.

"Because of him?" He nodded in Julian's direction.

"In part, yes," she confirmed.

"Glad to hear that he isn't letting you down. Honestly, I'm surprised to see you here."

Tyriana shrugged. "This is Julian's baby. I wanted to see it come to fruition firsthand. Besides, he has supported me through a lot of things so I thought I would return the favor."

Riley nodded. "Fair enough."

"Sounds like something Julian would say. So, if I may, how're things with Brielle?" she ventured.

He chuckled. "Is she not telling you everything? I figured she would, given how close you two are."

She shook her head. "She hasn't been very specific. She likes to avoid the subject. When my friends and I can pressure something out of her it's always been positive, though."

"That's good to hear," Riley said.

"So what's going on? I want the inside scoop."

He chuckled. "I'm not going to tell you _everything_. Let's just say that we just passed… what is it that American muggles call it again? Second base, I think."

"Sounds right," Tyriana said. "Congratulations. I knew something was up when she was all smiles this morning."

"I'm glad that she didn't have any regrets. I was a little worried last night because she was being so shy. I didn't want to push her into anything she wasn't comfortable with so I played it _really_ slow."

Tyriana chuckled. "Brielle's fine with sexy stuff until it applies to her and then she turtles up. You've just got to take it easy with her and let her adjust, I think. She'll get comfortable eventually. She's totally smitten with you, from what I can tell."

"I think she's been that way since the first time we met on that walk to Hogsmeade last month," Riley said. "Look, I'd love to talk later but I'm supposed to be helping set up right now."

"I understand," she said. "Good luck with Brielle."

"Thanks."

Tyriana returned to her seat feeling happy for her best friend. Riley seemed like a great guy and Tyriana hoped Brielle wouldn't get as much grief for dating a Slytherin as she had. She wasn't too familiar with the base-system that American muggles used to define progress in a relationship but she was pretty sure that the second one was more than just kissing. She was a bit surprised that Riley knew more about that than her, though, given his background as an affluent pureblood.

Slytherin students began arriving shortly. All seven years seemed to be fairly equally represented. By 3:00, there were about twenty-five Slytherins. Tyriana could see that Julian was pleased by the turnout; she knew that he'd worried that there would only be a few attendants. He and his fellow organizers gathered at the front and conferred briefly.

A few of the Slytherins perked up, sensing that the meeting was about to begin. Tyriana noted that none of them were being particularly social; every one of them seemed to have a bubble of personal space around them that the others took heed of. Almost none sat immediately adjacent to their peers if another seat was available, nor did they sit directly behind or in front of someone else. Tyriana thought this unspoken behavior was a little odd. Were there no groups of friends here? Despite the physical space between them, there was a sense of unity and brotherhood. They were all members of the same house, and Tyriana recalled how Julian had said that being a Slytherin meant always having the backs of your peers because it always felt like there were outnumbered three to one.

A few Slytherins cast glances in her direction every once and awhile, noting the Gryffindor crest on her robes and her clearly-visible Head Girl badge. Tyriana returned their gazes calmly. She wasn't channeling any particular emotion into her eyes, but the blistering power of her gaze seemed to convince the subjects of her attention to hastily turn back around every time.

Julian drew everyone's attention up front when he said, "Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Let's get started. Welcome to the first meeting of the Society of Slytherins Against Prejudice. My name is Julian Hawkins. You might know me as the Head Boy. We're very excited to see so many of you here today. This Society is the brainchild of myself and several others." He introduced Finley, Aiden, Riley Jensen, and the three girls that they'd brought on at Tyriana's suggestion. He then asked the Slytherins to introduce themselves by giving their name, year, favorite class, and a reason why they'd chosen to come to SSAP's first meeting.

Tyriana knew that she would never remember many of the names, much less be able to match them to faces, but she did pay attention to the general trends of why the students had decided to come. Most just seemed relieved that someone had finally acted on what they all seemed to be feeling. _It's a lot easier to follow someone's footsteps than it is to forge a path on your own_ , Tyriana thought. _Hopefully now that they have some guidance they'll be able to see the light._ The fact that Julian and his friends had been the ones to break the silence — which was apparently more ubiquitous than she'd realized — only increased her respect for them.

Julian and his fellow officers spent the next few minutes talking more specifically about their ideas for SSAP. He said that it would be a safe haven where they could be themselves and be supported by others who are in the same position. He then explained the importance of healing the divides between the four Houses. Finally, he and his fellow officers then listened to the opinions of their members. The conversation turned quickly in the direction of taking action; several of the Slytherins were becoming really enthusiastic about SSAP's mission and wanted to make a difference.

"That attack two days ago in London," said one of them thoughtfully. "The Prophet this morning confirmed that there were traces of dark magic at the scene. We should do something."

"A fundraiser for charity," someone called out. Tyriana was shocked by the support this idea got. Before long, Julian was promising that he'd ask Professor McGonagall for permission to hold a fundraiser at the entrance to the Great Hall during meals. He said that he would do this as soon as the meeting ended and added that, if the answer was 'yes' he and the other officers would have all of the details ironed out by Tuesday.

Tyriana realized that Julian was going to be very busy for the next few days and she was going to have to wait a while before she'd be able to hold his undivided attention. She sighed. A little waiting was a small price to pay for a boyfriend who was so amazing and engaged in such a noble cause.

 **A/N:** A short chapter, but it sets up a major plot arc for Julian's character in the second half of this story so it is inherently important. The next chapter features both him and Quidditch so it should be quite satisfactory.


	27. Slytherin vs Ravenclaw

**Terminology note:** a Split-S is a maneuver used in aerial combat between fighter aircraft. I adapted the term for the purposes of describing a maneuver that is performed during several Quidditch matches in this and later chapters. Essentially a Split-S is when the flyer rolls inverted and "executes a descending half-loop, resulting in level flight in the exact opposite direction at a lower altitude" (quote from Wikipedia). Viewed from the side, the maneuver looks like the letter C (or the top half of an S — hence its name). Hopefully that makes sense.

 **Chapter 27**

 **Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw**

 **February 15th, 2014**

Tyriana and Julian's relationship continued to blossom. She would think that it wasn't possible for her to fall deeper in love with him and then he'd do something wonderful that would prove her very wrong. She basked in his observant attention to her every want and desire. It was all she could do to try to reciprocate.

In the middle of February came the third Quidditch match of the season. Slytherin would be taking on Ravenclaw, whose spirits were high coming off the former's upset defeat at the hands of Gryffindor and their own win over Hufflepuff. Slytherin was still in second place for the Quidditch Cup, though, since their first match had gone on for so long that they had accumulated 370 points compared to Ravenclaw's 180.

Tyriana had her predictions for the match. Ravenclaw's Chasers weren't very good so, unless Slytherin was still reeling from their loss, Ravenclaw's best chance was to hope that their Seeker caught the Snitch quickly. Beau Naylor had demonstrated some clever tactics during his first match but his technique was sloppy. Tyriana thought that Julian was at least as adept at strategy as Naylor and certainly possessed superior broom handling skills. The game might be relatively close, but Slytherin would win.

The morning of the match, Tyriana and Julian awoke in his bed. She was acting as the big spoon which, while physically challenging given her diminutive size, satisfied her desire to be protective and supportive of him. "Rise and shine," she murmured in his ear, accompanying the words with an affectionate squeeze. "Today's your big day."

At breakfast she sat with her usual friends.

"You aren't wearing any of the houses' colors," Siobhan observed. "Who're you supporting?"

Tyriana sighed. "Julian, obviously, but I don't want to be seen in Slytherin colors. I don't want people getting the wrong idea."

Siobhan nodded. "I understand where you're coming from. I'll root for him too cause he's your boyfriend but I don't want Slytherin to do _too_ well." The other girls nodded in agreement.

Tyriana's eyes wandered over to the Slytherin table. She gave Julian an encouraging smile and mouthed, "Good luck."

"Thank you," he mouthed back.

Before long, both teams were leaving for the locker rooms. Tyriana blew Julian a kiss, which was something she'd never done before and had always thought to be a cheesy and sappy cliché until it suddenly seemed perfectly right for that moment. Julian grinned and waved goodbye.

"Look at you! I don't think I've ever seen you be so lovey-dovey," Delaney commented.

"It's for a good reason," Tyriana said. "He's an amazing boyfriend. I feel obligated to show him how much I appreciate that."

A few minutes later the staff dismissed the student body to the Quidditch pitch. Tyriana joined the line of students leaving the Great Hall. The adjacent Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables seemed to be the scene of a lot of arguing between the two houses regarding the expected outcome of the match. The exit of the Great Hall was quite a bottleneck that only brought all of the houses even closer together. As Tyriana and her friends were trying to make their way through the crowd, Julian's friends materialized by their sides.

"We had a hard time finding you amongst all these people!" Aiden told Tyriana.

"That's because I'm so short," she called back over the chatter of the entire student body.

"Where are you planning on sitting at the match?" he asked.

Tyriana wasn't sure. She'd feel much less awkward cheering for Julian from the Slytherin section but she didn't think they would be the best company for a Gryffindor Muggleborn like her, particularly after Slytherin's defeat in their first match. "With the Ravenclaws, I guess," she said.

"Well, if you want to join the Slytherins you can come with us," he offered. "We promised Julian that we'd keep you safe. If anyone bothers you we'll hex them into next week."

 _That's a sweet gesture. Julian's so thoughtful; what did I ever do to deserve him_? She glanced back at her friends. Brielle was distracted by something that Riley was saying but Siobhan was mouthing, "Do it."

"Okay," she told Aiden.

The guys were able to get seats in the front row of the Slytherin section. Finley and Jensen sat on either side of her and Riley and Aiden occupied the seats directly behind her. They were acting like bodyguards and she found herself blushing with embarrassment. The weather was chilly and she shivered. _Why did I forget my bloody scarf_?

Tyriana glanced around and saw that there were a few Slytherins giving her suspicious or angry glances. The rest seemed to be ignoring her. She felt unexpectedly safe, though, with the boys around her.

Blake Leonard began his pre-match commentary. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another exciting Quidditch match! My name is Blake Leonard and I will be commentating today as Ravenclaw takes on Slytherin. Tensions are running high between the houses, as has become the norm this season. Slytherin, the champs for nine years running, are coming off of a nasty loss at the hands of Gryffindor. The only thing that saved them from total disgrace was the capture of the Snitch by their Seeker Julian Hawkins. It has been so long since they lost that whether or not they will be able to recover for this match remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Ravenclaw is coming off a _very_ unfortunate victory over Hufflepuff. _R.I.P. the dream_."

The spectators laughed as Leonard had to apologize to Professor McGonagall for showing favoritism to Hufflepuff, his own house.

"As I was saying, Ravenclaw beat Hufflepuff 180-90 in their first match of the season. That victory was in large part due to rookie Ravenclaw Seeker Beau Naylor's ingenious strategy of feinting his second Wronski Feint — don't think too hard about that — to catch the Snitch. Ravenclaw was down 30-90 before that happened. If their Chasers and Keepers haven't improved, Slytherin will destroy them. Slytherin Seeker Hawkins is also considerably more experienced than Naylor, so Ravenclaw is facing long odds here. This is, for all intents and purposes, the same Slytherin squad that mopped the floor with them 460-120 last year.

"Now let's introduce the teams. Ravenclaw will be first onto the field. There's the team Captain DUNCAN REEVES! He plays in the Beater position. He's joined by his fellow Beater RHYS KNAGGS. Here comes the Ravenclaw Chaser squad: LEWIS FARRELL, FERGUS DOBSON, and ALICE THORPE! Next is the Keeper, LUCA ELDRIDGE! Finally, the Ravenclaw Seeker BEAU NAYLOR!"

As always, Leonard was yelling each name at the top of his lungs like they were champion players as some muggle sporting event. Across the stadium, Tyriana heard Ravenclaws, Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs cheering for each player.

"Now let's see the Slytherin team," Leonard was saying. Slytherins all around Tyriana surged to their feet, emitting a deafening wave of noise in support for their team. "Here comes the Chaser squad: OWEN CHANDLER, ARLO HURST, and Captain CALLUM PICKERING! They are followed onto the field by Beaters MARCUS RANDALL and XAVIER DUNCAN and Keeper COREY BRADSHAW! Finally, Slytherin Seeker and Head Boy JULIAN HAWKINS steps onto the field!"

Tyriana finally joined the rest of the Slytherins in cheering as loud as she could when Julian appeared. He looked like a child next to his hulking teammates.

Both teams joined Madam Hooch at the center of the field. Callum Pickering and Duncan Reeves shook hands. Reeves was a Beater and massively built but Pickering was definitely not a lightweight either. The two Captains seemed to be engaged in a competition to squeeze each other's hand the hardest. Madam Hooch finally separated them and the players mounted their brooms.

"It's game time, ladies and gentlemen," Leonard was saying. "Madam Hooch gets all four balls in the air and we are underway! The Quaffle is immediately hotly contested. Ravenclaw Chaser Farrell comes out with it and zips up the field. He passes to Thorpe, who ducks a nasty Bludger and approaches the goalposts from left-field. Now is the moment of truth — have Ravenclaw's Chasers improved from the first game? They look better so far. Slytherin Keeper Bradshaw is looking to stop Thorpe. She throws a mighty fastball. Bradshaw is caught completely off guard, and RAVENCLAW SCORES! 10-0! Bradshaw looks shocked. I don't think he was expecting a girl to throw like that! Serves him right, I suppose… Anyways, back to the action: Owen Chandler now has the Quaffle… SLYTHERIN SEEKER HAWKINS IS DIVING! HAS HE SEEN THE SNITCH ALREADY?! NAYLOR DIVES TOO! IT'S A RACE!"

Tyriana jumped up and shouted her support for her boyfriend. At the last possible instant before crashing into the ground, Julian pulled up. Naylor had been following and, although he was further away from the ground, he was barely able to pull out of his own dive.

Leonard was ecstatic. "WHOA! IT'S A WRONSKI FEINT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE VETERAN HAWKINS IS OBVIOUSLY MAKING A NOD TO NAYLOR'S STRATEGY IN THE LAST MATCH AND SAYING 'THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE, ROOKIE!' That was amazing broom handling from Hawkins! And now he's pointing at Naylor and shaking his head — 'That won't work on me!' he seems to be saying. Oh! Excuse me but I totally missed Chandler scoring with the Quaffle for Slytherin during all of that excitement. The score is now 10-10. That was perfectly executed on the Slytherins' part; Hawkins was an excellent distraction that enabled Chandler to push up the field without much resistance from the Ravenclaws."

Tyriana and Julian's friends applauded his strategy and excellent flying. He was truly a brilliant Seeker and Tyriana wished that he would give professional Quidditch a chance. His Wronski Feint had been so perfect that she would have fallen for the trick, too — and that was a true testament to his skill.

"The Seekers return to flying high above the field," Leonard was saying. "Meanwhile, Ravenclaw Chaser Fergus Dobson gets the Quaffle. He dodges and weaves past a Bludger and Slytherin Chaser Hurst. Duncan and Pickering moving to intercept him and he passes to Farrell, who pushes towards the goalposts. Farrell passes to Thorpe, who takes aim. Keeper Bradshaw's determined not to make the same mistake again. Thorpe throws and Bradshaw dives! He makes a clean save and throws the Quaffle out to Hurst, bringing it back into play."

By the thirty minute mark, Tyriana could see that the Slytherin team was still, at least to some extend, reeling from their unexpected loss to Gryffindor. They weren't playing their best and they obviously knew it. They had begun to express their frustrations on the Ravenclaws and racked up numerous fouls. This earned their opponents numerous penalty shots, which the Ravenclaws desperately needed. Their Chasers had improved from the first match but were still struggling. The points they occasionally earned from penalties was the only thing keeping them in the match. The score was currently 130-80 with Slytherin in the lead. There had been no sightings of the Snitch so far.

That changed at about forty-five minutes into the match.

"NAYLOR'S IN PURSUIT OF THE SNITCH! But just like that, Hawkins is on him! Naylor's lighter, but Hawkins has the better broom and has proven himself to be the better flyer. The Snitch makes a sharp left turn! Naylor overshoots and swings wide but Hawkins stays on it! He's reaching… WATCH OUT FOR THAT BLUDGER! Hawkins ducks! The Snitch dives and pulls a 180! Hawkins rolls inverted and performs a beautiful Split-S, coming out of the maneuver right behind it again. Merlin's beard, he can fly! OUCH! HAWKINS TAKES A NASTY SHOT TO THE RIBS FROM THE SECOND BLUDGER AND NEARLY FALLS OFF HIS BROOM!"

Tyriana had jumped to her feet without even realizing it, her eyes wide with horror as she strained to see more detail. Julian was trying to regain control of his broomstick with one hand while clutching his ribs with the other. Tyriana's mouth was open so wide that she might've wondered if her heart was visible in her throat had she been focused on anything other than Julian at that moment.

"Hawkins seems to have lost sight of the Snitch — can't blame him, really. That was a nasty Bludger hit. Naylor seems to have lost track of it too. While Hawkins was performing that beautiful Split-S, Ravenclaw's Seeker was trying to turn and dive the normal way. That's a hallmark of his rookie status, if you ask me. Meanwhile, Ravenclaw Chaser Thorpe has managed to score, making the score 200-120, advantage Slytherin."

Julian continued to hold his ribs for the last twenty minutes of the match. Every time he flew by Tyriana could see a grimace on his face. She hoped his ribs weren't broken.

At about an hour and five minutes into the game, Naylor caught the Snitch. There was nothing Julian could do; he was on the other side of the field. The score before Naylor's catch had been 270-140. The Snitch made the score 270-290, giving Ravenclaw the slim victory. Slytherin house erupted in boos, feeling that they'd been robbed. Tyriana didn't care about the results. She was watching Julian gingerly land on the turf. Madam Pomfrey rushed over to him.

Impulsively, Tyriana vaulted the railing in front of her and shouted " _Arresto Momentum_!" as she fell, softening her landing on the frozen grass. Ignoring the yells from his friends, she sprinted over to Julian as fast as her legs could carry her. She arrived just in time to hear Pomfrey saying, "Three broken ribs, I think. None seem to have punctured the lungs, but I'll need to perform a more thorough check when we get to the infirmary."

Julian nodded, grimacing.

The nurse summoned a stretcher and used a levitation charm to gently lift him onto it. Tyriana picked up his broomstick and noticed that none of Julian's teammates had come to check on him. There was no time for her to think about that. Madam Pomfrey was already taking him up to the castle and she hurried after them.

"Are you okay?" she asked Julian.

He winced. "That was the worst Bludger hit I've ever taken. Didn't even see it coming."

She took his hand with a gentle and comforting grip. "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will have you healed in no time."

The Nurse nodded. Tyriana had no reason to doubt that; three broken ribs sounded like a walk in the park compared to other injuries she'd heard of at Hogwarts. She had faith that Julian would be fine within a couple of days. Her primary concern was his pain in the meantime. She recalled how much getting run over by one of the Turnbull sisters had hurt and knew that it had to be at least that bad.

As they headed up the sloping grounds towards the castle, Julian's friends intercepted them and gave him their own words of comfort and encouragement.

When they arrived at the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey moved him onto a cot and pulled out the curtains so that she could inspect his injury privately. Tyriana and his friend sat scattered on the adjacent beds, waiting for news.

Finally, the curtains were withdrawn. "Three broken ribs, no punctured lung, lots of bruising," Madam Pomfrey said tersely, heading for her office to retrieve whatever she was going to use to treat him. Relieved, Tyriana pulled up a chair next to his bed and sat down.

"I didn't catch the Snitch," Julian murmured.

"It's alright," she said, taking his hand again. "You flew beautifully. Naylor got lucky. If you had been on that side of the field you would've caught it."

He was silent for a while. "At least Ravenclaw has a better chance at winning the Cup now."

"That's just what I need: more competition," she said sarcastically.

Julian tried to chuckle but winced instead.

"Sorry," she said. "I'll try not to say anything funny."

Madam Pomfrey returned with several potions. "This is going to take a while." Speaking to Julian's friends and Tyriana, she added, "I suggest you come back after dinner. By then I will have done what healing I can and he will have gotten several hours of sleep."

"How long until I'm free to go?" Julian asked.

"A few days at most," Madam Pomfrey said, shooing Julian's friends and Tyriana out.

Lunch was still an hour-and-a-half away, so Tyriana went up to the Gryffindor Common Room to get some homework done with her friends. It took them a while to get started, as everybody's focus was still on what had just happened in the match. Delaney insisted on giving Tyriana a comforting hug, although Tyriana maintained that the gesture was unnecessary.

"Madam Pomfrey will heal him easily and he'll be back to normal in a few days," she said confidently. "There's nothing to worry about. I can live on my own. I'm not dependent on him."

"You'll be visiting, though, right?"

"Of course! I'm not careless."

After a period where they all tried to at least finish some of their homework, Siobhan asked, "How was sitting with the Slytherins?"

"It was awkward at first. They definitely didn't like me. Once the game started it got better and, when I was cheering with them for Julian I almost felt like I was a member of the house."

"Whoa."

"I know. I guess Quidditch fans are Quidditch fans, no matter what house they're from."

After dinner Tyriana went to the Hospital Wing to visit Julian. He was sleeping but apparently not too deeply. When she sat down next to him the chair made a squeaking noise and his eyes fluttered open. When he saw her he grinned and reached out to take her hand.

"How're you feeling?" she asked.

"Better," he said. "Breathing's feels better and the pain's really dulled. Madam Pomfrey says that everything's looking about as good as could be expected and I should heal quickly."

"That's great news," she said, giving him a supportive smile.

"She said no intensive cardio for a week, though."

"I can guess what that means. No sex, huh?"

He shook his head. "None."

Tyriana bit back the snarky comment that immediately popped into her head. "I'm really having to try not to make you laugh right now."

"Shouldn't be a problem, then, because every time you put your mind to something you succeed."

Tyriana gave him a faint smile and changed the subject. "None of your teammates have come by, have they?"

Julian shook his head.

"Do they usually do that when somebody gets injured?"

He shrugged. "Depends on their standing in the house and on the team. I'm a bit of an outcast thanks to my roll in SSAP and I just lost the game for them so I'm not surprised they're pretending I don't exist."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

"It's their M.O."

" _Boys_ ," Tyriana muttered. "If I got injured I'd expect to wake up with at least half of my team by my bedside, regardless of whether I lost the game or not."

"Slytherin doesn't work like that. You act with ambition and prove yourself or you fall by the wayside."

"Lovely. They should put that on the recruitment brochure."

"What's a brochure?"

 _So much for trying not to make him laugh. Thank God the joke didn't land_ , she thought. "Nevermind. It's a muggle thing."

"Oh." There was a few minutes of silence where they just enjoyed each other's company. Abruptly he said, "Do you still have lots of homework?"

"Yeah," she admitted. Seventh year classes were rigorous and between Quidditch practices, her Head Girl duties, and leaving time for Julian her schedule was genuinely packed.

"You should go, then. I don't want you to stress about me or your homework."

She pouted. "It's the weekend, Julian. I'll have time tomorrow." In truth, she was quite swamped with coursework but she didn't want to be rude.

"Your N.E.W.T.s are in a few months, Tyriana."

"Keyword: _months_. I've got time."

He sighed. "Please go and do your homework. For me."

"Alright," Tyriana conceded, squeezing his hand. "But first…" She bent over him and gave him a long and passionate kiss. "Here's something for if you miss me tonight." She pulled the third picture they'd had taken at Hogsmeade, where he was standing behind her with his hands clasped over her belly, out of the back pocket of her jeans and placed it on his bedside table. "Good night, Julian."

"Good night, Tyriana."

"Sleep well and get better soon."

"I will. You too."

"Me? Get better? That's not possible," Tyriana quipped as she left. She could see him barely holding back one of his adorable laughs.

 **A/N:** There's more Quidditch and something else important in the next chapter. Hints as to what that is have been sporadically dropped as far back as Chapter 6.


	28. Hufflepuff and the Holyhead Harpies

**Chapter 28**

 **Hufflepuff and the Holyhead Harpies**

 **March 8th, 2014**

Julian had recovered well and had been released for the Hospital Wing within a few days. Tyriana welcomed him back with open arms, which was far more than could be said of Slytherin house. With the exception of his close friends and the members of the SSAP, they treated him like an outcast.

"This is worse than after the first match," he had told her. "At least I got the Snitch last time, thanks to you. This time we lost and it's obviously my fault. We were so close to beating Ravenclaw."

"You had three broken ribs!" Tyriana reminded him. "They can't expect you to be on your A-game when you're like that. Besides, even if you weren't injured you still would've been too far away to stop Naylor from catching it."

"If I wasn't injured I would've caught the Snitch right after that Split-S."

"Which was immaculate, I might add," she had said, trying to distract him from his disappointment. Her efforts were rewarded with a grin.

"That means a lot coming from you."

She grinned and just held him close.

* * *

February became March and the date of Gryffindor's match against Hufflepuff arrived. Tyriana was not worried in the slightest about this game, although she kept her team training hard just in case. Hufflepuff's team had been a joke for about five years now and everybody knew it. They were the team that the other three always beat, no matter what.

Tyriana awoke the morning of the match feeling rested and enthusiastic. If everything went according to plan, today's game would be quick, painless and fun. Of course, that wasn't the only thing to be excited about.

On Monday she'd received a letter confirming that the Holyhead Harpies were going to be scouting her during the match. This had stressed Tyriana out quite a bit at first. She couldn't imagine herself not playing professional Quidditch after graduation and the Harpies were at the top of her list of teams she wanted to play for. Thankfully, Julian had known exactly what she needed to hear to calm down. He had reminded her that she was Hogwarts' best Seeker in a number of years and there were many lesser players who'd gone on to play professionally.

"The Harpies will love you," he'd said. "They go for talented and empowered female Quidditch players whose first or last name starts with the letter G. I cannot think of anyone who fits that bill better than you, Tyriana. If I didn't know better I'd say that you were born to be a Harpy."

"It's a shame I don't have a Harpy's claws," she'd quipped, making the same clawing gesture she'd used months before to imitate a lioness.

He'd laughed and pulled her onto his lap. "Stop being so adorable. You're killing me."

"With my claws," she'd growled, playfully clawing at his heart with her nails.

Now it was gameday and she was feeling as ready as she'd ever been for a Quidditch match. When Julian awoke beside her, she asked him if he and his buddies wanted to sit in the Gryffindor section. "I can return the favor from your match and have my friends escort you guys. Besides, I'm sure Brielle would love an excuse to snog Riley. She might even get handsy."

Julian chuckled. Her words certainly conjured an amusing image in each of their minds. Brielle and Riley had officially begun dating a week-and-a-half previously after almost two months of flirting, snogging and — Tyriana suspected — exuberant shagging. As both Brielle and Riley knew where the Room of Requirement was, there really wasn't a limit to how much they could get away with. Brielle had certainly been disappearing seemingly at random quite frequently and she always came back with flushed cheeks and a poorly-concealed smile. Tyriana had been pleased to see that her relationship with Riley placed emphasis on more than just sexual chemistry and romantic clichés, though. Brielle had very different preferences and priorities when it came to her partner compared to Alara and Delaney. Her personality and Riley's seemed to mesh really well. They also shared some classes and many interests. Tyriana was very happy for them.

Julian answered her question by saying that he'd love to sit with the Gryffindors, and he'd invite his friends, too. Tyriana got ready for breakfast, making sure to slip gloves into her pockets so that she could walk down to the pitch afterwards without the chilly air numbing her hands and limiting her dexterity.

The Gryffindor table was jam-packed with students decked out in scarlet and gold. Some had even painted their faces. Next door, the Hufflepuffs were wearing canary yellow and black. They weren't quite as enthusiastic as the Gryffindors, nor were there as many of them dressed up. They clearly knew that their team was Hogwarts' equivalent to the Chudley Cannons; they lost a lot. Not many of the Ravenclaws and Slytherins had chosen a side. Those Slytherins that did tended to pick Hufflepuff. Tyriana suspected that they wanted the Hufflepuff Keeper to stop Gryffindor from scoring too many points and extending their lead in the Quidditch Cup.

 _Fat chance_ , Tyriana thought. _Hufflepuff's Keeper is trash. I could give a Beater like Theo the Quaffle and he'd be able to get past Corwin Briggs._

Her thoughts were promptly interrupted by Jessamine, who ran up as if she had urgent news. Tyriana hadn't even sat down at the Gryffindor table yet.

"What is it?"

"Briggs got injured during Hufflepuff's practice on Thursday night," Jessamine said. "Hufflepuff's fielding Caden Weiss as Keeper."

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me!" Tyriana exclaimed, drawing a lot of attention from everybody in earshot. Even Jessamine seemed taken aback by the explosive reaction although, to be fair, she'd never heard about the Head Girl's short-lived relationship with Caden. Tyriana wrenched her mind back to focusing on the impending match. "We didn't train to face him. Do you know how he plays?"

Jessamine shook her head.

"Shit. Well, he can't be that talented if he's the reserve for a Keeper as bad as Briggs. We'll just play our best and steamroll them anyway. Pass the news on to the other Chasers."

Jessamine nodded and hurried away. Tyriana took a seat with her friends. "Caden's playing as Keeper for Hufflepuff," she blurted.

"Holy shit!" Brielle exclaimed.

"Have your Beaters barrage him with Bludgers," Siobhan suggested.

"Just don't bloody his gorgeous face too much," Alara said. She was wearing both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff colors, as her boyfriend was a Badger. The result was a garish collage that almost made Tyriana's eyes bleed.

"Oh, I intend to ruin his face," Tyriana said, only half-joking. "He deserves it. Maybe if he had an ugly mug he wouldn't be able to seduce girls quite as easily."

With that she turned her focus towards eating. Her friends knew her Quidditch day routine by now and didn't disturb her again.

Right before she got up to lead the team down to the pitch, she told her friends that Julian and his friends wanted to sit in the Gryffindor section of the stands. "I said that you girls would love to help. Especially you, Brielle. Riley will be there."

Brielle blushed profusely and everyone laughed at her reaction.

"Good luck!" Siobhan called as Tyriana rounded up her team and headed down to the stadium.

"So Caden Weiss is playing Keeper for Hufflepuff?" Hugh asked her as they walked.

"Apparently."

"What do you know about him?"

"He's a misogynistic douchebag."

"Uh… How do you know that?"

Tyriana chuckled wryly. "Firsthand experience. Lydia knows what I'm talking about."

"You do?"

The question seemed to make Lydia a little uncomfortable. "Tyriana saw him flirting with me and warned me he was a player."

"Forgive my ignorance but do you girls actually get hit on all the time?" Oscar asked.

"Yes," said Tyriana, Lydia and Jessamine simultaneously.

"Everyone should know by now that Julian and I are dating but guys _still_ flirt with me!" Tyriana groaned.

"And if they don't know by now that I'm a lesbian then they're blind," Jessamine quipped, eliciting laughs from most of the team. She had never been shy about acknowledging her sexual orientation. By now pretty much everybody at Hogwarts knew and, considering how conservative the purebloods generally were, Tyriana had been genuinely surprised that only a few students had responded adversely to Jessamine. These students quickly discovered that she could not be shamed out of it and they gave up. Tyriana suspected that the only reason that some guys were okay with Jessamine's orientation was that they found the notion of two girls making out to be hot. _That's certainly not a respectable reason to be accepting but I suppose that it's better than ostracizing her_ , Tyriana thought.

"Woe is me. I'm single," Lydia complained. "Why do guys hate tall girls so much?"

"Because they like the sense of physical superiority they get from being bigger," Tyriana said. Sarcastically, she thought, _And that's not problematic in any way, shape or form_...

"Well, no shit," Lydia replied. "It was a rhetorical question."

They got changed in the locker room and Tyriana gave her pre-match motivational speech. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Hufflepuff may seem like an easy opponent but we aren't going to let our guard down. Believe me when I tell you that there is no Quidditch team at this school that is better than this one. We _can_ and we _will_ win. Let's have a nice, clean and impressive match. And please don't take unnecessary risks and get hurt. By the way, there is a scout for the Holyhead Harpies here today. Don't worry though; they're here solely to watch me so don't feel any extra pressure on your shoulders. This is going to be a fun match and I don't think it'll be any more difficult than the average training session. Be ready with your afterburners, though, just in case. Um... I see only Lydia understood that. Basically, be ready to put in some extra effort if they give us a challenge for some reason. You never know and it can't hurt to be cautious just in case. Let's line up."

Gryffindor was first onto the field this time, and Tyriana listened to Blake Leonard's commentary as she led her team towards Madam Hooch. "Gryffindor is coming off of a huge and, frankly, historic win over Slytherin. Will they be able to keep their Quidditch Cup dreams alive today? Out front is the Gryffindor Captain TYRIANA GALLAGHER. She plays Seeker and is the student body's Head Girl. If you've been living under a rock you may not know that she's dating the Slytherin Head — Sorry, Professor McGonagall. Moving on… The three players behind Gallagher are the Gryffindor Chasers. From right to left: HUGH ADDISON, JESSAMINE HOLLOWAY, and TAQUIN DONNELLY! Behind them are the Beaters, THEO LYONS and OSCAR NORTON! Last is the Gryffindor Keeper LYDIA FAULKNER!"

Confident that her team could assemble themselves properly around midfield without her paying attention, Tyriana focused her eyes on the Gryffindor section of the stands. After a moment of searching she saw her friends with Julian and his buddies. Unbeknownst to her, they had made a large sign that flashed "GALLAGHER IS OUR QUEEN" in Gryffindor gold and Slytherin silver. Together the two colors looked quite royal and they gleamed in the cold winter light. Her heart warmed when she saw the sign and she waved to them.

Meanwhile, Leonard was introducing the Hufflepuff team. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome to the field my fellow Hufflepuffs. Team Captain ROWAN FRASER is flanked by his fellow Chasers EVELYN MORLEY and KEIRA ABNEY! Those're some pretty nice escorts if I do say so myself."

"He did not just say _that_ ," Tyriana growled in sheer disbelief.

Spectators all across the stadium booed and Professor McGonagall could be heard chewing out Leonard. She was yelling something about being a gentleman and respecting all of the players, regardless of gender, particularly since they possessed 'infinitely more talent' than him.

Finally, Leonard's commentary resumed. By now the whole Hufflepuff team was gathered opposite Gryffindor and waiting for the formalities to end. Morley and Abney looked pissed at Leonard and Tyriana didn't blame them. " _Ahem_. Sorry about that, ladies. Um… the Hufflepuff Beaters are GREGORY JONES and NYE INGRAM. Keeping today is CADEN WEISS, who replaces the injured Corwin Briggs. Finally, the Hufflepuff Seeker: VICTOR SYKES!"

"Captains, please shake hands," Madam Hooch ordered.

Tyriana complied. She was sizing up Rowan Fraser, who was in his first and only year Captaining the Hufflepuff team. Like her, he would be graduating in a few months.

"Good luck," he said.

Tyriana grinned wryly. "Keep it all for yourself. You're going to need it."

Fraser chuckled. "You're probably right. By the way, thanks for beating Slytherin. We thought it was impossible."

"Any time." Tyriana could feel herself beaming with pride. "Ravenclaw beat them too. Maybe you'll round out the threesome?"

"Unlikely, but we'll try."

Madam Hooch finally stepped in, after having let this conversation go on noticeably longer than usual. "Alright, everybody. Mount your brooms. I want a clean game." She released the two Bludgers and the Snitch, then tossed the Quaffle up in the air.

Tyriana kicked off from the ground, a surge of adrenalin sweeping through her body as she embraced the glorious sensation of flight. Riding a broomstick was where she was meant to be.

Leonard was commentating on the action. "Morley seizes the Quaffle for Hufflepuff but she has a loose grip on it and Gryffindor's Taquin Donnelly snatches it right out of her hand. He speeds towards the Hufflepuff goalposts. There aren't any Hufflepuffs in his path; everyone else is still trying to get their bearings at midfield. Now is when we'll see what Hufflepuff's reserve Keeper is made of, ladies and gentlemen. I've never seen him play but he does look really fit. Does that actually mean anything, though? Donnelly lines up his shot to the right. It's a feint and the Hufflepuff Keeper falls for it. Donnelly shoots left! GRYFFINDOR SCORES! 10-0!"

Tyriana pumped her fist but kept her eyes searching the field for the Snitch. She wanted to capture it quickly to impress the Harpies' scout. There was no sense in giving Victor Sykes a single shot at the catch.

"Abney of Hufflepuff has the Quaffle. She crosses over midfield and passes to Morley. Morley barely dodges a well-aimed Bludger from Gryffindor Beater Lyons and passes to Captain Rowan Fraser. Keeper Faulkner is set up to block him. He throws! It goes right through Faulkner's fingertips. HUFFLEPUFF SCORES! 10-10!"

Tyriana wasn't surprised. Lydia, as always, needed a few minutes to warm up. She'd be performing masterfully in no time.

"Gryffindor Chaser Holloway has the Quaffle. She flies low, skimming the frosty turf. A pass to Addison, who expertly dodges Morley's clumsy attempt at defense and pushes for the goalposts. This is Keeper Weiss's chance to redeem himself. Can he make the save? Addison mimes throwing but passes to Donnelly, who passes to Holloway, who's now coming from above. She throws! No, it's another fake. Pass back to Addison, who throws it through the leftmost hoop. GRYFFINDOR SCORES! 20-10. The Gryffindor Chaser Squad is playing like a perfectly-oiled Muggle machine — smooth, fast and powerful. All of that passing happened in less than ten seconds and thoroughly confused the Hufflepuff reserve Keeper. No sign of the Snitch yet, but the Seekers are still circling like birds of prey, waiting for it to make an appearance. Morley has the Quaffle now. She passes… WHOA! GRYFFINDOR BEATER NORTON JUST HIT A BLUDGER TO INTERCEPT AND DEFLECT THE PASS! THE QUAFFLE FLIES STRAIGHT INTO THE WAITING ARMS OF GRYFFINDOR'S HUGH ADDISON, WHO SPINS AROUND AND CHUCKS IT AT THE GOALPOSTS BEFORE KEEPER WEISS IS EVEN AWARE THAT THERE'S BEEN A TURNOVER! GRYFFINDOR SCORES AGAIN! 30-10! Listen to the crowd roar! This appears to be the squash match we all knew that we were in for, ladies and gentlemen! Hufflepuff Captain Fraser takes the Quaffle. He dodges left, then right, then left again as Lyons sends a Bludger his way and Norton attempts to block him. Holloway is hot on his heels, looking for the steal. That would only add insult to injury after those last two turnovers! Whoops — it appears that he is now aware that he has a tail thanks to the commentary from yours truly. Fraser passes to Morley, who takes aim. Keeper Faulkner dives… beautiful save! Almost as beautiful as… um… nevermind."

Tyriana turned to glare at Leonard for his latest inappropriate comment only to see a speck of gold flitting around near the base of the commentary tower. It was the Snitch! Now was the perfect time to catch it. Tyriana wheeled her Firebolt Supreme around and made a beeline for the elusive golden ball.

"Anyways, Donnelly takes the Quaffle — LOOK AT THAT! Gallagher is diving right towards me as if she's seen the Snitch! Is it a Wronski Feint? We've seen a lot of those this season! Sykes hesitates, unsure, and by the time he decides to commit it is _far_ too late! Gallagher is just too fast on that Firebolt Supreme! Meanwhile, Donnelly has scored his second goal of the match, bringing the score to 40-10!"

The Snitch suddenly veered to the left. Tyriana wrenched her broom around, refusing to let it outmaneuver her. She was getting closer and closer; her broom was simply too fast for the Snitch to escape. In desperation, the winged ball began to zig and zag evasively. Once she determined that it was still committed to the same general direction, Tyriana didn't even bother to echo its every move. Doing so would have cost her some precious speed. She just held true to its general direction and kept gaining.

Tyriana was reaching out, inches away from grabbing the Snitch, when it abruptly decided to head straight up. She kept on its tail, her fingers reaching. She was aware of Sykes coming from above, but she sensed that she'd catch it before he arrived. Her instincts proved correct when her hand finally closed around the little golden ball.

The Gryffindor side of the stadium erupted in victorious cheers as Tyriana slowed to a hover, holding the captured Snitch up in the air. Her team enveloped her in hugs. She heard Leonard announcing the final score in the background: 190-10.

Tyriana turned to Oscar. "That Bludger hit on the Quaffle was insane, you show-off!"

"I just wanted to show the Slytherins that what we did to them wasn't a fluke."

"Consider your mission accomplished, then." She noticed three people in Holyhead Harpies robes approaching on foot and turned to quickly address the rest of her team. "Fantastic win, you guys! Go to the locker room and get changed; I'm sure there'll be a huge party in the Common Room."

Tyriana drifted down to the ground in front of the Harpies' representatives, trying not to look as giddy as she felt. _Hold your horses, Tyriana; they haven't offered you a contract just yet_ , she reminded herself.

One of them stepped forward to shake her hand. "Hello, Miss Gallagher. I'm Gwendolyn Foster, the Harpies' team manager."

Tyriana found herself blushing profusely. She'd been expecting a lowly talent scout. "I'm honored," she managed to say.

"The honor is mine. Your reputation precedes you, Miss Gallagher, and you certainly lived up to it. It was a fantastic match and your skills are clearly first-rate."

"Thank you!" She blushed some more, glad that the cold weather gave her cheeks and ears an excuse to be red. She continued, "That means so much to me and I really appreciate you coming to watch today. The Harpies have always been my favorite team." Tyriana worried that her excitement might come across as over-exaggerated. She didn't want to lay on the flattery too heavy for fear of them thinking that she was trying too hard to ingratiate herself. Tyriana could have very easily begun fangirling and spent the next hour monologuing about how amazing all of the team's star players were.

Thankfully, Foster seemed to find her excitement endearing. "So what would you say if we offered you a contract?"

Tyriana held back her instinctive response, which was an enthusiastic "Yes!" Instead she said, "Well, I'm _very_ interested but I'd like to hear the details before I sign anything."

"You're a smart girl. We'd love to have you."

"Thank you so much! I… I don't know what to say! This is a dream come true!" She'd been striving to reach this moment for so long and now she was here and it was perfect. Tyriana was surprised to feel tears coming; the last time she'd cried was when Gryffindor had lost the Cup to Slytherin the previous year. This time, though, they were tears of happiness and relief. She barely managed to restrain the burst of emotions.

Foster patted her on the shoulder comfortingly. "If Gryffindor is anything like I remember it there's going to be a huge party starting shortly. I don't want to keep you from celebrating with your team. You've all earned some fun. How about you meet me at the Three Broomsticks tomorrow at noon and we'll discuss the details?"

"I'll… I'll have to ask Professor McGonagall for permission."

"I'm one step ahead of you. She already gave her approval."

"Thank you. I'll be there."

"Good. I look forward to it." Foster glanced at something over Tyriana's shoulder. "Your team's waiting for you, dear."

Tyriana spun around and, sure enough, her team had gathered about fifty feet away, watching anxiously. They'd disobeyed her order to go to the locker room. Apparently their Captain's future Quidditch career was more interesting than getting changed and celebrating. Tyriana supposed that such a choice on their part spoke to how tightly the team was bonded.

"Well, thanks again," Tyriana said to the Harpies. "I'll see you tomorrow. It was great to meet you!" Holding her broomstick in one hand and the captured Snitch in the other, she went to rejoin her teammates. She felt like she was floating on cloud nine.

"What'd she say?" Jessamine asked.

"They're offering me a contract!" Tyriana exclaimed, unable to contain the news any longer.

Her teammates swarmed her with hugs and congratulations, telling her that she deserved it more than anybody. The tears she'd been holding back started to fall from her eyes. She wondered if this was a dream. She was in such a daze that she wasn't aware that the team was leading her to the locker room until they were suddenly inside a much warmer and enclosed space with magical lighting.

She sat down heavily on the bench next to her locker, surprised that she was even able to find it through the blur of her own tears. It took her five whole minutes to regain control of herself. Her teammates gave her some alone time.

Finally, Lydia hauled her to her feet. "Time to get changed or the party's going to be over before you get there."

"I highly doubt that," she murmured.

When Tyriana exited the locker room she was confronted by a wall of scarlet and gold. But the first person her eyes focused on was Julian, who was standing directly in front of her. He stepped closer and used his thumbs to wipe the tears off her cheeks. "You were amazing," he whispered.

Her face split into a helpless smile. "The Harpies offered me a contract!"

"I knew they would," he murmured in her ear as he hugged her tightly against his chest. "They'd be stupid not to. Did you accept it?"

She breathlessly told him about the meeting the next day.

"That's wise," he commented.

Remembering that the Snitch was still in her hand, she offered it to him. "Take it."

Around them, Tyriana heard several gasps as the true Quidditch fans around them understood what she was doing. Professional Seekers would sometimes present the captured Snitch to their significant other as a public declaration that they'd found what they were looking for — their other half. As most Seekers throughout history had been male, her action had the added significance of being rather transgressive.

Julian gave her one of his adorable smiles and took the offered Snitch. He hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Tyriana. Enjoy the party. You're going to get a real victory celebration in private tonight," he whispered in her ear, the last sentence sending flutters of desire shooting through her body. She had a pretty good idea of what she was in for. Giving Tyriana one last affectionate squeeze, he passed her on to Brielle and all of her other friends. They'd overheard the news of the Harpies' contract, as had a few other Gryffindors, and the team was spreading the story too.

For the second time that year Tyriana found herself being carried up to the castle. This time it was her team doing the work while the rest of the Gryffindors followed along, chanting her name.

They headed straight to the Gryffindor Common Room, where a party promptly began that bore significant resemblance to the first. This time, however, Tyriana was alert enough to participate. She socialized with her peers, danced clumsily to the loud music, and even drank a few sips of firewhiskey that some Gryffindors had smuggled in. They seemed very concerned that she was going to confiscate the alcohol but she told them not to worry about it. "As long as you're only serving to people who are of-age then I'll turn a blind eye."

The party had a brief timeout during the lunch hour and resumed in full-force afterwards. It wasn't until five in the evening that she returned to her room nursing a headache from all of the noise and feeling mildly tipsy from the alcohol. She'd kept her drinking under control but she was so small that even small amounts had a noticeable effect on her.

Julian greeted her with open arms. "I'm so proud of you," he whispered in her ear. "You should tell your parents."

"I should," Tyriana agreed, grabbing a sheet of parchment and her quill.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I have a lot of great news! First, my team just won our second match of the season 190-10! We knew that this one was going to be easy but that's still a great result. Also, I heard before the match that the Holyhead Harpies (my favorite professional Quidditch team) were going to be scouting me. It turns out the team manager came in person to see me play! She offered me a contract afterwards. We're going to meet tomorrow to discuss the details. I'm so excited!

Love,

Tyriana

P.S. Julian and I are still doing great, cause I know you're wondering. 

Tyriana practically ran to the Owlery to send the letter. If her steps hadn't been springy before they definitely were now. Her life was turning into everything that she'd ever wanted it to be.


End file.
